


Primroses

by LackingDelirium



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Age Difference, Angst, Anxiety, Attempt at Humor, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Finral is a sweet babe that needs protecting, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, I hate Solid so much he like sucks as a brother, I tried a slow burn, I've been dying to write this for months, Julius is hot fight me, Mimosa Vermillion is a freakin peach change my mind, Minor Violence, My life's work, My masterpiece if you will, OC villian - Freeform, Oh lord are we in for a wild ride, POV First Person, Please love this as much as I do, Reader is pretty strong, Reader-Insert, Romance, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, Smut, The Author Regrets Nothing, The reader is a sweet babe that needs protecting, The summary is trash, This is an excuse to have a romance with the Wizard King, This is the longest piece of writing I have EVER worked on, This is trash, This plot ran away from me, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vanessa is the best friend anyone could want, Violence, Well just in this story, but I lowkey like him, but like what is a slow burn, don't hate me, how do i even tag this?, i'm trash, long read, more like fast burn, originally a one shot, other than that he sucks hardcore, trash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2020-06-09 22:35:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 102,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19485388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LackingDelirium/pseuds/LackingDelirium
Summary: Stay calm, breathe. The hardest part is over. It’s done.As I walked through the dark forest, I wondered at what point I would be captured.***In which defecting from the Diamond Kingdom leads to an unexpected meeting with the Clover Kingdom's very own Wizard King. New beginnings are on the horizon, friendships built and nurtured, and even love flourishes under the warm spring breeze. The past however, is not so easily forgotten. After all, escaping is no easy task and the Kingdom doesn't take kindly to deserters.Old demons and new monsters threaten the easy life you dreamed of having one day.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> I'm FINALLY POSTING THIS! YES! YOU CANNOT even imagine how happy I am to post this.

_**Black Clover** _

**I**

_******* _

_The crowd of mages parted silently and without resistance, perhaps realizing the gravity of the situation, feeling it was better to leave this in other's hands. That, and they valued their lives. The room felt colder now, a heavy chill that penetrated the men's bones._

" _How long has she been like that?" The usually sickly-sweet voice had no softness now, a quiet fury was slowly building. Tension in the room was palpable as no answers were given, fear overtaking the need to explain. Frost was now falling from the ceiling, landing precariously on shoulders. It was now incredibly cold, puffs of breath were now visible amongst the men, though no one dared complain._

_The Winter Lady was here now._

_When no one answered, the red lips parted, the edges becoming sharp as knives. The grimoire on her hip floated up and opened, more frost emitted from the now open pages. It was a threat and a promise all in one. Her eyes glinted with danger, she would not ask again._

_The mage on her left, a young man with brown hair realized this and gulped cautiously. The action drew the attention of the older woman, her thin eyebrows arched up in question. The young mage gulped again and raised his hand, coming to point directly in front of him, towards the ground. "Lady Eirlys, w-we were fighting, and the girl, she just_ _ **dropped**_ _to her knees and started crying. She didn't even open her grimoire. W-was_ _this_ _ **supposed**_ _to happen?"_

 _Her cold, soulless eyes glared at the stuttering male, effectively piercing him with her stare and ending his sentences. The same thought ran through their heads: just who was he to question_ _**her** _ _? "And you are?" It was posed so they both understood that she was not truly asking._

_His eyes nervously darted to the ground. "No one, my Lady."_

" _Yes, you'd do best to remember that." She stared at him a moment longer before turning her attention to the mess in front of her._

 _There, lying on the ground was the girl, deafening wails shook her body, her grimoire was nowhere in sight, she was unharmed, and more importantly, she had done nothing. She was a pitiful mess, a silly little flower wilting under the cool of winter. She was_ _**weak** _ _. Steel fury seemed to overtake the woman, her grin replaced by a twisted grimace, her razor sharp nails struck out on the girl, pulling her to her feet._

" _Would you like to explain yourself?" She would give the child one chance to explain her reasoning, to explain why she refused to carry out her duties, why she instead chose to bring embarrassment to the kingdom._

_The child was no longer crying, her sobs subsided, hiccups were the only sign of tears left. Her bottom lip wobbled. "Why?"_

_The white haired witch could only stare back at the child. Was this truly what she wanted to know? Why? The fact that she had even considered that question proved to Eirlys that this, insignificant, little, weak child was not ready to step into her destiny yet. She was not ready to serve the Kingdom with her entire being. "Sweet child, the Diamond Kingdom does not want or have need of your_ _**whys** _ _, they want results. Power. The sooner you learn this, the better. Now, be a dear and finish the job."_

_The wretched girl only shook her head defiantly. Her heart was beating as fast as a rabbit's and as loud as a drum. It was disgusting how frightened she was."I-I won't do it! I can't! You can't make me!" The other mages eyes widened at her words of defiance. They scuffled nervously in place, waiting for the Winter Lady to strike back._

_She only hummed._

_That's where she was wrong. If they had to break every one of her little fingers to force her, then they would. Suddenly, she gripped the child's arm tighter, her nails breaking the pale skin underneath. "Is that so?" Her words were little more than hisses, but just as effective if she had yelled. The girl looked shocked and began to squirm as frost began to creep up her arms, the cold magic stinging her skin as it traveled up slowly._

" _P-please, let g-go. I can't do it. They've done nothing wrong!" Words fell on deaf ears as the cold continued to crawl up, coating her neck. "I can't!"_

 _Still, there was too much humanity left in her. "Fine. If you won't do it, I'll have these men do it, and they're not as kind as you. Their magic is far less-_ _ **delicate**_ _than yours. So when these people lie there suffering, in pain, know that you could have blessed them with an easy death." With that, she let the girl go and snapped her fingers._

" _You heard me. Finish it." The men stirred out of their trances and opened their grimoires, leaving the room one-by-one. As the final mage left, screams immediately rang out from outside, the sound of stone crashing and magic sizzling were clear even through the walls._

" _No!" The girl was crying again. This time, the witch rolled her eyes at her weakness. This was her doing, if she had simply followed orders, none of this would have happened._

" _This is all because of you." The sobs dried instantly, the child's teary, wide eyes looked up at her. "It's your fault. You can't be trusted to follow orders, you need more lessons. I'm afraid your teacher isn't performing as well as we'd like."_

_She came close to the girl again, gripping her chin in her hand. "I will train you instead. My way. Then you'll see that you should have done what was told. When I'm done with you, you won't even recognize yourself."_

**_***_ **

_Stay calm, breathe._

_The hardest part is over. It's done._

As I walked through the dark forest, I wondered at what point I would be captured.

I took another deep breath as I attempted to reassure myself and calm my pounding heart. I was entirely alone. There was no one searching for me, or actively trying to capture me. _Yet._

I clutched my heavy cloak closer to my body as the sun set, the last rays of it began to disappear into the trees, as if the forest had swallowed it whole. Night was creeping in. It wasn't necessarily cold yet, but I shivered nonetheless, there could be _anything_ hiding in the forest, waiting to attack fellow deserters like me.

It wasn't easy abandoning your country. Especially if you knew they would come and hunt you down. I scoffed, the corner of my lips curling irritably, _as if the Diamond Kingdom would really come for me, I'm nobody. Surely after all, I was no longer even noticed_. _Just some average mage trading her diamond for clovers._

_Not worth searching for._

_**Liar.** _

Try as I might to trivialize the danger I was in, the exact opposite was going on.

My breath staggered and my scowl dropped. It helped to fill myself with false confidence, otherwise, I would have to face the inevitable. Which was, if found, I would be dragged back to the kingdom and probably executed. Or imprisoned again, which was probably worse. _I'd rather die than go back._ I angrily thought, then paused. _I shouldn't be so hasty,_ _death could very well be the only outcome._

The Kingdom didn't like the things they invested in running away.

And invest in me, they did.

How long had it been now? How long had it been since everything I ever loved was taken from me? It was nearing twelve years that I had been the Diamond Kingdom's plaything, a mindless puppet whose strings were yanked right to left, up and down, and every which way in between.

Well, I refused to be a puppet any longer.

I planned my escape for months now, buying time until the right circumstances appeared. All those years of me being docile paid off, security was laxer, less frequent, easier to slip away unnoticed. To be honest, it was much easier than I had thought it would be, no one had seen me or come to check my quarters. My first steps outside the castle in years set off a chain of emotions and tears, beginning in happiness, then pride, and finally-

Uneasiness. It crept into my mind as the longer I ran, had it been _too_ easy? Was it all an elaborate 'test'? Another cruel 'skill check' from my mentor? _I wouldn't put it past that bitch._ How many times had she dangled freedom in my face, like a carrot on a stick, just to cruelly rip it away the second I came close, another test?

Even as my doubts swirled in my head, I willed myself to continue moving forward. Leaves crunched underfoot, the sound crisper, there was more and more foliage now, Which I was immensely grateful for. It meant I was heading the right way. My strategy in this was to avoid any major border towns for now, until I could assure my safety. Kiten was out of the question, so I had to go through the thick forest separating the two countries. It was only about a two day journey to Lapis, the small village I had read to be a good place for foreigners, there was no nobility, so less suspicion would arise at my sudden arrival.

I kept walking deeper into the forest, ducking under branches as I began to ponder new revelations. I was entering the country illegally for one, I was a Diamond Mage, and I wasn't even sure I was truly in the safe.

My immediate thoughts were, who would be the one to find me? Someone had to. Either from the Clover Kingdom or the Diamond. My bets were on the Diamond. I hope it would be Lotus, he was the kindest, he often smuggled me some sweets when it was his turn on guard duty and actually spoke to me. However, he had been called away with Mars to investigate a new dungeon.

Perhaps Ladros then? _Hopefully not._ Ladros was the worst, though he was younger than me, his recent promotion to Shining General inflated his ego, his cruel mockery and thinly veiled leers were terrifying and annoying. In the end, I suppose it didn't matter. Anyone would be better, anyone except _her._ My fingers twitched at my sides, the scarring was long gone now, but the numb pain I felt lingered.

Would I even be taken back? Why was I so certain I would be captured when so many other deserters had been killed?

Just the year before, a couple had been discovered escaping near Kiten and were dragged back by their ankles, paraded, and then publicly executed. Brutally murdered, one after the other. I shivered at the memory, I had been present at the execution. The horrendous event stirred memories of my long-lost rebellion, rekindling the urge to escape. I wasn't the first to try and leave and I hoped I wouldn't be one of the ones that got caught. It was unnerving, having this much doubt.

It made me think about what chain-reactions my actions had caused.

Would I instead be put down like an animal? I shook my head, this was no time for me to get anxious. I had time for all those questions later, right now, I needed to keep going, there was time to worry later. I had to focus on the path ahead. It wasn't wise to travel in the dark and normally, I would wholeheartedly agree, but darkness was an ally, it was my only shield at the moment.

I wanted to avoid using any magic in case someone was searching for magical levels. Fortunately, my magic allowed me freedom to fluctuate the level of mana I cast off and I had emptied my reserves in a river I crossed earlier. Without magic, it was like traveling blind, I could only make out a few shadows and shapes, none of them moving, thankfully.

It also meant I was defenseless for the time being.

I glared up at the sky, it was a dark and lightless shade, the stars just visible. _Just my luck, I managed to pick a moonless night to travel. I guess I should have paid more attention to astronomy lessons._

The memories of my tutor ( _ex-tutor now_ ) came to mind, raising long held feelings of resentment. How I _hated_ that woman. She had made it a point to disciple me at any cost. After all, the Diamond Kingdom didn't want any unruliness. I was just a child really, lost in the world, and it didn't make her any less cruel.

I was her delicate, little _flower_.

I rubbed my fingers in a soothing motion together at the thought of her, hate her as I did, I only survived this long because of her and I hated her more for that.

I was starting to feel the strain of walking for so long. It had been hours by now since I had escaped, my eyes were beginning to get heavy. The last time I had a good night's sleep was about a week ago, waiting for the right moment. For _this_ moment.

_Lesson six girl, resting is as important as practice, if you are tired, how could you be at your best? Remember, the Diamond Kingdom expects-_

"Nothing but the best." I finished rather bitterly as I stepped over a tree root. _I could use a little break. Just for an hour two, then I could keep going._

Perhaps it _was_ time to find shelter, seeing was almost impossible and my legs felt like they would give out, unfortunately my stamina wasn't as great as I remembered. _Nothing like being under house arrest for six years give or take._

After what seemed like an eternity I ran into what appeared to be a small clearing, without any light, it was hard to see but there were less trees, a little bit of the sky peeked in, giving me _some_ visibility. It would have to do. I couldn't risk building a fire and giving away my location, so I would have to make due without, I hoped it wouldn't be too cold tonight, the winter months were behind, but the weather could be unpredictable, after all it was still early spring. I _hated_ the cold.

My stomach growled a little, I frowned and rubbed it soothingly. I knew I was hungry, I had skipped lunch and dinner, claiming to feel unwell. I reached towards my back to where I often carried my pack and gasped when my hand felt nothing but the fabric of my cloak. A pit settled in my stomach. In my hurry to leave, I left my pack and any food I had packed included. My eyes widened as I came to realize what that meant. _How stupid of me! I have no supplies! Now I have to get by with what little I have, which is nothing! Should I go back?_ My heart began to beat quickly, fear rising before irritation stomped it out. I slapped myself for the stupid, insecure thought. _No! What am I saying!_

_I am not going back._

I wanted to kick myself as I grumbled around. I willed myself to calm down and take note of my surroundings. _Okay, I can do this. It's not too far now, I can survive one night all on my own._ What could I possibly use as shelter? My eyes swept the clearing and mentally checked all my current possessions. I had my cloak, with its infinite uses and the clothes on my back. I had no tent, or blankets, or really anything. I cursed the Kingdom for never investing _actual,_ real-life skills in me. Apparently basic survival skills just didn't measure up to knowing how to decapitate your enemy twenty five different ways. Which, really, who _needed_ to know that many ways to do it? It was overkill.

Regardless, going back wasn't an option, so I had to improvise.

I removed my cloak and propped it up clumsily with a few branches that were laying under a pine tree. It wasn't the best work. If it rained, I would undoubtedly get wet. I didn't really have the talent to make a better shelter so it would have to do. I carefully maneuvered myself to lay under it, careful not to jostle the flimsy cover. As I laid down, I closed my eyes, keeping my ears alert, and tried to get a brief rest.

_******* _

It was later now, I hadn't been able to get any real rest, too scared to think about sleeping. I hoped I was deep enough in the forest that they wouldn't find me so easily. Not that they would even look for me until morning, probably late morning considering how drunk the guards liked to get. Not for the first time, I mourned the softness of my bed and the warmness of my room. Instead, I had to settle for some makeshift _tent_. This whole deflecting business wasn't easy.

I instantly scolded myself, this wasn't _supposed_ to be easy, I knew that. There was no point in acting like a child going to a sleepover for the first time. Still, I was a little bummed at my lack of survival skills.

 _I should have gone camping with brother when I had the chance._ At the thought of him, my heart panged and I fought back the onset of tears that gathered at the corners of my eyes. _Just another casualty of the Diamond Kingdom's greed._

I reached into one of the hidden inside pockets of my cloak and ran my fingers over the smooth, cool metal of the compass I always carried with me. Memories of childhood innocence filled with hazy, sweet days ravaged at my heart and I frowned, _another one, just another casualty._

I wondered even now, if my brother's fate had been planned all this time.

Speaking of plans, as far as mine went, they weren't very fleshed out. Luck had been a vital factor in all going well. The escape had been easy, but what followed after is what I dreaded. I knew I was deflecting and heading to the Clover Kingdom. I knew in what general direction to go, and I knew why. However, as to what I would say once I arrived? I found myself a little lost.

How do you even begin to explain to the rival kingdom that you meant no harm and were seeking amnesty? And that maybe there were some people searching for you. And by some people, you meant possibly the kingdom.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't hear the crunching of twigs behind me at first. However, I noticed it the second time and froze. Had they found me after all? My heart raced as panic began to set in.

There was no way, I had made sure to leave as soon as my guards went out for drinks. That itself had granted me at least until the morning, or so I hoped. _Fuck!_ I cursed, I had overestimated my abilities and underestimated the enemy!

I scrambled to my feet and yanked my cloak off from the tent, the sticks falling to the ground clinking together, and quickly covered myself. Modesty aside, the cloak granted some basic defense magic and small healing qualities. It would be foolish to fight without it.

My eyes scanned the forest floor desperately, and in vain. It was so dark, it made it difficult to make out any movement. Scared, I raised my arms into a defensive pose. "Don't come any closer! I don't want to hurt you!" No one answered and the rustling in the bushes grew louder, closer. I had no other choice, I would have to do something. My heart thudded faster and faster, the familiar feeling of mana gathering from the earth into my body, it coursed through my veins and formed at my fingertips, the lilac energy gearing up for battle.

The rustling grew louder and louder, soon, it had to reach its crescendo, the bush's leaves parted open and I couldn't help but let out a scream and cast off the orb of magic energy I had conjured towards the sound.

I closed my eyes tightly at the sound of impact, though my magic wasn't loud, it still produced a muffled sound. My 'attack' had kicked up dirt from the ground making it difficult to see. I squinted in the general direction of the original sound and waited for the dust to clear. _There!_ There was movement...

I blinked as a small, surely traumatized, rabbit hopped out of the shrubbery. The _untouched_ shrubbery. Then my eyes moved to a few feet from it, where my strike had _actually_ hit, the tree had a glowing circular burn that smoked lightly from where I managed to hit. "I missed?" I stared at the spot in disbelief. So there was no enemy?

I was fine. The lack of tension in the air relaxed me and I let out a giggle. I slapped my hand over my mouth to silence myself, I was _still_ in a dark forest after all. There could very well be more enemies, hidden ones. Then another giggle bubbled out. Soon, another giggle after that turned into me having a full on laughing fit in the middle of the damn forest.

I knew it wasn't wise to laugh, anyone could be around to hear me, but I found that I didn't care, my adrenaline had been so high and then suddenly evaporated, I was exhausted now, yes, but it seemed _hilarious_ to me.

Then again, I was probably crazy by now.

"I-I can't believe it was just a bunny!" I grabbed my midsection as the laughter continued to flow, this was just so ridiculous. I bent over, my hands on my knees as I went closer to the small creature. A few rogue giggles left my throat, "I'm sorry that I scared you, little one." Amused as I was, my heart still clenched at the sight of the rabbit. I had a huge soft spot for cute things. I wanted to reach out and hold it. The poor rabbit twitched its nose and hopped away, probably running from my loud giggles, frightened enough.

"I think the poor thing got lucky don't you?" I whirled around immediately, the joy dying from my lips as they began to tremble. Raw panic began to swell in my chest once again. That was no woodland creature. Who had found me? A Shining General? I couldn't make out a clear face instead seeing only a tall figure, taller than the Diamond Mages I knew.

He was standing several feet away but not in any defensive position. I furrowed my eyebrows, I didn't recognize this man. I tensed as he came towards me and I squeezed my eyes shut, ready for my punishment, awaiting some form of pain. When nothing came, I opened one eye curiously, maybe his magic worked slowly? Like a curse would? It was odd, I hadn't sensed any spell activate.

He wasn't there. I frowned and turned again when I didn't see him. _Where did he go?_ It was so dark by this point there was no way to see into the trees, my eyes weren't adjusting as well as I hoped. As I had already been found, I saw no harm in using more magic. I raised my hand and guided the residue mana into a sphere at the tips of my fingers, producing a small circle of mana, I focused on the glow it gave off, effectively channeling the orb into a light source.

Even though the orb gave off a soft lilac light, it was much easier to see now. I blinked again when I spotted the mysterious man by the tree I hit earlier, his back to me, examining the scorch mark. "Who are you?" When he merely continued to poke around the tree as if he hadn't heard me, I glared, "Never mind, it doesn't matter, leave me alone!" I demanded, hoping he would fall for my bluff and leave. I also hoped he couldn't sense my fear. He wasn't on the offensive but that could very well be a trap, some sort of pretense to lure me into a false sense of security.

"Wow! I heard the sound of magic and I'm glad I wasn't wrong!" He seemed genuinely fascinated with whatever he found so interesting. In this case, the tree. _Uh, excuse me?_ I dropped my arms to my sides, the light orb floating above my head, casting the same purple color across the entire clearing. "What kind of magic is this?"

I didn't quite know what to make of that.

"Hmm, this is interesting, I didn't see any flames and I didn't peg you for a fire mage. And yet, this is certainly a burn." _Huh? What does that have to do with anything?_ I watched as he shook his head and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

From where I stood, I could see him examining the tree, his eyes looked bright with excitement. But what was he excited for? _Also, a fire mage? As if. I could never be so indelicate..._ I felt just a dash of indignation before I accidentally snorted. "I'm not a fire mage." It slipped out of my mouth before I had a chance to say anything else. I slapped my hand to my mouth, I wanted to kick myself, had I learned nothing? The element of surprise was everything! He could very well be trying to gauge my weaknesses! Although I didn't really pick up on any malicious vibes, that guaranteed nothing.

"Oh?" The strange fellow stood up and was right in front of me before I could blink. In fact, I didn't even see him move. He merely appeared in front of me in an instant. "What kind of magic do you wield?" He gasped and clasped his hands together, "Let me guess!"

Yeah, he was crazy. Maybe I could leave, I could knock him out and run away? He seemed plenty distracted to me, so perhaps he would be easy to take down.

"Um, okay?" Apparently that was the right thing to say because he sent me a strange smile, one that I couldn't decipher. What was he playing at?

From how close he was I could see his features clearer, and boy, was I blown away. He was handsome. _So handsome_. His eyes, though they were darting around, excited, looked kind. He had noble features and a strange mark, like a star on his left side temple. My heart thudded for a different reason and I felt my mouth dry. There was certainty in my soul, there was no way he was from the Diamond Kingdom-

That place didn't have anyone like _him._

"Hmm, so not a fire mage, could it be something similar? Your magic glows purple, lighting perhaps?" He rocked back and forth on his heels, his hands clasped together, excitement visible.

A little dazed, I shook my head. "Not a lighting mage, sorry." I _could_ just go out and state my magic type, but I found myself wanting to speak to this man more. He was a little entrancing. If he wasn't with the Diamond Kingdom, how had he found me? Pure coincidence? He told me that he heard the sound of magic, but had he been able to sense me before? Besides, we were in the middle of the _goddamn_ forest, what was he doing here?

"Oh but you can cast both attack and support magic!" He pointed at the light orb that was still floating sluggishly over us. He seemed so friendly I didn't want to correct him. "I bet your grimoire is something else, I could guess what magic type you were based on your grimoire, I bet you have all kinds of spells in there! But where's the fun in that?"

 _My grimoire?_ I snapped back into clarity, what made him so sure I would let him see my grimoire? Grimoires were personal, at least they were to me. Most mages I knew boasted their grimoires like a novelty, as if it was something to be beholden. Grimoires held every spell, secret, and sin inside its pages, all laid out, no pretty words could hide who you really were, your grimoire was telling enough. To let others touch, examine, _judge_ as they scanned the pages evoked emotions of fear in me.

_Too many people have tried to defile my grimoire. I won't let him do the same._

_He would be dead before he managed to lay a finger in it_ , I vowed. I did not take fighting lightly, usually abhorred the thought of hurting others, but I would do whatever was in my power to keep my secrets. _Focus! He could still be a threat! Don't let your guard down just because he's attractive!_ Perhaps the subtle tensing of my shoulders was notable because he was quieter now.

My eyes slid back to him and watched him mutter under his breath again. I tried to examine him like a potential threat. He was older, older than me for sure. It was difficult to place an age on him, but he held an air about him that screamed power. I focused on his mana levels, gauging. _I-is this for real?_ It blew me away, how I hadn't noticed it until now was stupid. I never before had felt such sheer power, filling the air with its heaviness, it was suffocating.

I asked again, "who are you?" I cursed my weakness as it came out as little more than a whisper, betraying all my posturing.

The mood shifted immediately, into a more serious one, the excitement left his face, exchanged for a more serious expression. I saw him straighten up, his muttering ceased and his eyes captured mine.

It was almost like _magic_.

As soon as our eyes connected for the first time, it was impossible to look away. There was a sort of _current,_ like electricity that sparked between the contact. It was like time stood still for that moment. I felt heavy and weightless at the same time; I wasn't sure if he sensed it or felt anything at all. In that moment, I yearned to know this man. So many thoughts erupted in my head but vanished before they could truly settle and form. There was _something_ else too, something I couldn't quite place.

His gaze was heavy, holding my eyes firm and demanding dominance. Although I was still rebounding from the after effects, I was terrified, and there was a very small part of me that very much wanted to blush at his unwavering stare. I was terrible at hiding my emotions, I always was. My expression alone often gave away any ill-fated attempt to save face. If my fate was sealed, I made my peace with it.

Perhaps I shouldn't have deserted, maybe then I could have added a few more years to my life. If death _was_ approaching, I was proud of myself for making it this far. He didn't answer my question at first, choosing to instead ask me that same question. "Well, who are _you?_ "

It was said almost teasingly, shattering whatever moment of tension we were having. My cheeks puffed out involuntarily, any morbid thoughts of death tossed aside. "I asked you first!" He seemed a little surprised at my immediate outburst but he recovered quickly, instead seeming amused. Definitely cheeky.

"Ah, but I'm older than you. Therefore as your elder, I get to ask first." Well, just who did he think he was? I was the one interrogating here! _He_ stumbled onto _my_ magic battle.

" _That's not how this works!"_ At the quirk of his eyebrows, I blushed as I realized I had actually uttered that out loud instead of thinking about it. "I'm nobody, no one to concern yourself with!" I said it a little too fast, and I knew he noticed.

His eyes narrowed minutely. "Is that so? Be that as it may, I find it hard to believe that a mage from the Diamond Kingdom on Clover Kingdom land is a cause for no concern." It was said casually, as if he were commenting on the weather. However, I could hear the underlying edge to his voice and my eyes widened.

"What?" _How did he know? Can he read minds?_ As if he heard me, he gestured at my collar bone. Confused, I looked down and groaned internally. My cloak had my family's coat of arms and the Diamond Kingdom insignia stitched into it. I looked back and saw his questioning glance. "Oh, this old thing?" I tried to wave it off, but his face was set and not so easily swayed.

I ripped my eyes from his face and looked down at my shoes. "I know what it looks like, but I assure you, I'm not a Diamond citizen anymore." My voice sounded very small even to me.

"Anymore?" He asked curiously.

"I'm hoping to become a Clover Kingdom citizen."

"By entering the country illegally?"

I couldn't get a read on his voice and as I was currently avoiding his gaze, it was hard to tell what his expression was. He didn't sound suspicious or angry, more curious than anything. But I didn't want to make assumptions. I gulped and hoped I wasn't walking into some sort of trap. "I deserted. Please, it's the truth, I mean no harm to anyone, I'm basically a fugitive now." I wanted this man to believe me, desperately.

There was a long moment where nothing was said. I couldn't help but to start wringing my hands as I anxiously awaited some kind of response. Finally, I heard a brief hum. "If that's the case, what's next for you?" He asked kindly. I stared at the ground, not daring to hope. I felt something warm touch my face, confused, I tore my eyes from the ground and almost gasped. It was his hand lifting my chin up to meet his eyes, my ears burning at his warm touch.

His eyes searched mine, for what he was looking for, I couldn't tell. He had a small, encouraging smile in place. "I'm hoping to seek amnesty from the Clover Kingdom. It's a very long story and if you could please direct me to the village of Lapis, there is surely someone I could speak to. I truly just want to start over and live a peaceful life." There, my plans were laid out for this man to judge, hopefully, he wouldn't kill me. A very long minute passed in silence as I hoped he believed my words. Something unrecognizable crossed his face before leaving as quickly as it appeared.

A warm smile finally settled on his face, stealing my breath away, just a little. "Lucky indeed. I'm Julius Novachrono." It was said with some finality, as if I should react in some way. Unfortunately, I was utterly lost.

"Who?" The name sounded vaguely familiar but I didn't really take any of my forced studies all that serious. I cursed myself for investing too much time into unnecessary and useless hobbies. It seemed silly for me to not have any real knowledge of this country before heading here. It made me realize how unprepared and naive I actually was.

Perhaps this Julius wasn't used to that, because he seemed to deflate somewhat. It was kind of funny. "I'm the current Wizard King." Julius gestured to his attire and for the first time, I noticed what he was wearing. _A little flashy to be casually strolling a forest at night._

I blinked. "The Wizard King?"

He nodded. "Yes," his smile back in place, for surely he expected me to know the significance of those very words.

Unfortunately for him, I did not. If I did, perhaps my brain had shorted out, not being able to place the words. "What does that mean?" He gave out a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck, my eyes drawn to the arm that moved, watching the material bunch up.

"It means, welcome to the Clover Kingdom."

I nodded before freezing, it was all coming back. I wracked my brain for memories tied to those words. _Wait a second, Julius Novachrono...the Wizard King...Clover Kingdom…._ "Oh." I said weakly. Was it me, or was it getting kind of fuzzy? I felt faint and the last thing I heard was a whisper of a phrase I couldn't understand.

**_***_ **

I could hear birds chirping, their birdsong was loud but muffled. I shot up and wrenched my eyes open, now very much awake and unaware of my surroundings. I frowned as I scanned the room I was in, _so, I'm no longer in the forest_. My eyes were drawn to the large windows that completely filled the wall; the curtains were drawn, copious amounts of sunlight entered the room.

_It's daylight._

I was surprised, I had made it through the night. It didn't guarantee safety, but it proved a point that I did in fact survive a night on my own. It made me feel a little proud of my efforts. _Take that nature!_ As I started to relax, I tensed again, where was I? I was awake yes, in bed, in a room, and very much alive, but was it in the Clover Kingdom or the Diamond Kingdom?

A nasty little voice in my head whispered that maybe I had dreamt it all.

I was curious and more than a little bit scared. I pulled back the heavy covers that were on me and slipped out of the bed I was in. My feet landed on the cold marble floors and I padded over to the window closest to me. There was a large tree covering much of the view, but it was close enough that I could see a birds' nest and two other birds as well. _Well that explains the chirping._

I pulled back from the window and frowned, I still wasn't sure where I was. There were many parts to the Diamond Kingdom that I didn't know. Last night's events rushed to mind. _The Wizard King!_ I could scarcely believe it. I could have sworn it was all a dream but my dirty clothes from last night said otherwise.

_Does that mean I'm in the Clover Kingdom? I made it?_

I jumped when three knocks sounded on the door. I was a little apprehensive as I walked to the door, it was going to be impossible to know who it was. I braced myself and carefully opened the door.

"Hello?" An older lady brusquely pushed past me and a younger woman hurried to join her. I stood with my hand on the doorknob, the older woman began to shake off my bed and I realized that she was making it. The younger girl had her grimoire out and was using what appeared to be air magic to sweep and dust the room.

The two worked diligently, without uttering a single word to me. "Here, take these." the older woman handed a pile of sheets to the younger girl, and shooed her away. Finally, she turned towards me. "If you'd follow me, please." Her no nonsense tone left no room for me to argue and I obediently followed her out of the room and down the hall, where she stopped three doors down.

I stood in front of a large, wooden door and turned to look at the woman. She pressed a towel into my arms and reached around me to open the door, "in, please." not-so-gently pushing me in. The door slammed shut behind me as soon as I walked in the room.

"Hey!" I yelled, a little aggravated by her lack of communication. That was just plain rude. I puffed, rolling my eyes as I turned, before promptly dropping the towel I was holding. I let out a small gasp, the fabric crumpled at my feet, my eyes taking in the amazing room I was in.

It was a gorgeous room, a _bathroom_.

There was a large, marble tub in the center of the room, filled to the brim with bubbles, a lovely, floral scent flowing off of it. As irritated as I was, I couldn't help but let out a squeal and I quickly started to peel off my clothing, eager to bathe. I felt girly as I stepped into the tub, slowly letting out a long breath as my shoulders were soon submerged. In hindsight, it was probably weird taking a bath in a situation like this, but alas, baths were also one of my many weaknesses, and this one was very warm. If I was suddenly murdered, I'd be okay with that.

I stretched languorously and sighed happily, letting the warm water wash away my worries for a moment. I put my arms behind my head and took a moment to examine the numerous soaps that lined the edge of the bath. They all looked expensive, their fragrances were strong but not pungent.

I wanted to try all of them.

About twenty minutes later, I settled beneath the bubbles, closing my eyes, when the door knocked three times.

I sat up, startled and equal parts annoyed. Without a word, it swung open and the same older woman from earlier walked in, her paces just as brisk as before. I squeaked at the sudden intrusion, sinking lower into the bubbles, attempting to preserve my modesty.

She was carrying a pile of neatly folded clothes in her arms and placed them on one of the counters, as if she hadn't heard my protest. She then turned to me, staring hawkishly, hands on her hips, "please change into these," she pointed to the clothes, "then if you'd follow me please."

Her tone and stare left no room for argument and I slowly nodded. Sensing my acquiesce, she nodded as well and turned to pick up the clothes I had so carelessly thrown. She reached for my cloak and I sat up, my hand in front of me, uncaring about my sudden nudity. "No, not that!" Her hand froze at my panicked voice.

She turned, her face confused but insistent. "Miss, I need to wash the clothing." I shook my head vehemently.

"Please, not that one. I-" I stuttered around, trying to find a good reason to give her. I didn't have one, she knew that. We both did. It was really a childish thing, I just couldn't really bear to be part of it. I had had the damn thing for so long now, most of my life in fact.

_******* _

" _You're home!" I jumped up and down, excited for the bags to be put down._

_My brother was home._

_He had left for three months on a business trip, missing my seventh birthday. He had written, promising me a special present. I didn't really care for all that, I was glad he was home._

_His arms were soon clear of luggage and I ran to him for a hug. He stumbled backwards and laughed, "You're excited to see me. Or are you excited for the present I brought you?"_

" _Both!"_

_He shook his head and sighed. "I swear Mother spoils you too much." He reached behind him, to the knapsack on his back. "Did you wanna see what I brought you?" I nodded, my hands clasped as I bounced on my feet._

_He open the bag and whipped out an enormous, rich bundle of cloth. It was a lovely, light blue material, it felt like velvet but it wasn't as heavy. "It's a special cloak, it's enchanted so it'll protect you and keep you warm."_

_My eyes were the size of the saucers my mother was prone to collecting. It was so beautiful! There were small flowers embroidered near the collar of the cloak, reaching around the hood of it. "Wow!"_

" _Don't worry about out-growing it either. It's supposed to grow with you, but you're so short I doubt it'll change much." He teased and poked my sides._

_I ignored him and traced my finger over the left side of it. There was something else on it, it was a symbol, one I had seen scattered throughout the house, showcased for all to see, a symbol of pride. "And this?"_

_He smiled warmly now, his voice reassuring. "It's our family crest. As long as you wear this and our family lives, we will always find a way to protect you, to keep you from getting lost. Okay?"_

" _I'll wear it forever."_

**_***_ **

"Miss?" I snapped out of my reverie, looking at the slightly concerned woman. "Miss, I need to take it, I promise to bring it back." She looked frazzled, no doubt she had many things to do. Feeling guilty, I nodded. She was just trying to do her job.

"I'm sorry for being difficult, of course." I climbed out of the tub, not really caring if she saw me or not, dried off with the towel and changed into the clothes she provided me with. They were simple, but felt it was of good quality. As I put on the foreign clothing, I wondered where this woman was even taking me.

I shrugged and tug the shirt down, lacing up the boots she also provided. I had a moment to adjust the clothing, pleased to find they fit well. The lady was waiting by the door, clothes in her arms and started to walk down the hall again. My arms wrapping around my body, I followed, grumbling under my breath at her brusque nature. She led me down countless hallways before stopping in front of huge double doors.

"Go right ahead please." I blinked at her in disbelief when she simply left without another word. Any sense of guilt I felt, vanished. _I would have fired that woman._

I stared at those large doors. I had no idea what could be behind them and it wasn't another bath, that was for sure. I took a deep breath and tossed my shoulders back, there was no point in waiting around, I would just have to see for myself what was in store.

I knocked once and stepped back in surprise as the doors opened all by themselves. Curiosity piqued, I carefully walked into the room, and stopped halfway when I didn't see anyone there. There was a large window in the front of the room and a desk filled with piles of paper and books. As I took more and more in, the more random objects there seemed to be.

Knick-knacks of all sorts lined the walls, there were multiple bookshelves, but this was no library. There were globes, maps, ancient books, so much more that I could not understand or see.

I was drawn to the large desk towards the front window, my feet moved without me realizing it until I was right in front of it. My eyes scanned the desk, zoning in on a pen in particular, I felt my heart leap and reached for it. My hand wrapped around it and I held it close to my face, examining the writing item.

It was made of silver and had flowers etched onto it, ones I could recognize anywhere, they were the same ones I had on my cloak. I could hardly believe it, I turned it between my fingers, finding a little solace in the small familiarity.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would wake up." The pen dropped from my hands and hit the desk with a loud _clunk_ and I quickly turned around to meet amused silver eyes. I blinked before blushing at being caught snooping. _The Wizard King!_

He was standing at the entrance to the room, obviously having just arrived. My eyes swept over him, his clothing was lavish but that was to be expected, his cloak was as long as mine but much more decorative. I couldn't really tell last night what color his hair was and a pleasant feeling fluttered in my stomach to discover he was blond. _I always had a soft spot for blonds._ My cheeks burned. _Wait what am I saying?_ My tongue felt twisted in knots when I had nothing to say but sputter a bit.

I was staring too long. "I'm sorry!"

He looked confused for a moment, before tilting his head, "whatever for?" I gestured wildly around the room in general, and he laughed off my antics. "There's no need to apologize. I imagine your curiosity took the better of you, I know that same feeling all too well."

"Oh." I wanted to kick myself for how wispy my voice sounded.

"Did you sleep well last night?" The question caught me off guard and I frowned, I had expected him to get right to business, it was a little sweet how he asked about my well being. If he was Wizard King, I could tell he was the popular sort. _Nothing like Morris._

I smiled awkwardly. "I did actually, this morning was a little rocky though." He returned my smile, encouraging me to go on. "It was a little weird being dragged around a strange place without a word to where I was going." I said impishly, the last thing I wanted to do was offend.

He laughed easily, the jubilant noise filling my ears. I liked his laugh. "You must have met Meredith." I quirked an eyebrow, was that that woman's name? Julius seemed to know who I was talking about. "She likes to run a tight ship. You'll get used to her." His last words caught my attention, what did he mean by get _used_ to her?

Just what was he planning?

He came close and walked around me to sit behind the desk. He clasped his hands together and looked at me intently. That all too familiar feeling from last night was present again, this time a little diluted. I fought back the flush that threatened the corners of my face.

"As to where you are, you're now in the Clover Kingdom, Clover Castle to be specific." I felt faint and took the seat in front of the desk, slumping to it, suddenly out of breath. _I had made it. I made it._ I had actually survived and escaped successfully.

"How?"

"My magic allows me the ability to move from place to place almost instantly." _oh._ I wondered what kind of magic the Wizard King possessed. No doubt something terribly strong.

A weight I had felt all my life eased, I was no longer under their control. I was free. This wasn't another stupid test either. Whatever my fate was now, I knew that I would never see that cursed place again, _never._ I let out a brief, choked laugh and nodded, the smile on my face growing.

"Well, that's good news. I'm happy to never see the Diamond Kingdom again. Thank you." I meant it too, I was grateful for this man and the fact that he hadn't left me to die, or returned me.

Julius gave me a small smile, leaning forward a bit, and cleared his throat. "Now, I'd like to know more about you and specifically what caused you to leave the Diamond Kingdom."

I took a deep breath, I owed him that much. I had been expecting this after all. _Here goes nothing._ It was a long story, I wondered how much I should even say? Where would I begin?

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" He asked gently, it was encouraging, as if he could sense the turmoil in my head.

"I can do that."


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New surroundings leads you to breakfast with the Wizard King and some of the past comes up.

_**Black Clover** _

**II**

*******

_Julius gave me a small smile, leaning forward a bit, and cleared his throat. "Now, I'd like to know more about you and specifically what caused you to leave the Diamond Kingdom."_

_I took a deep breath, I owed him that much. I had been expecting this after all. Here goes nothing. It was a long story, I wondered how much I should even say? Where would I begin?_

" _Why don't you start at the beginning?" He asked gently, it was encouraging, as if he could sense the turmoil in my head._

" _I can do that."_

The beginning. I pursed my lips, what could really be considered the beginning? Birth? My time as a puppet? My escape?

The question was how much did I plan on giving up? Did I tell this man about the long years I spent as a prisoner under the Diamond Kingdom? Yes I was a refugee, but things weren't simply black and white either. There were other, less _favorable_ moments in my past I wasn't too proud of.

Wizard King or not, this man was a complete stranger to me.

Something in his eyes made me hesitate. He was looking at me patiently, giving me all the time I needed. My lips parted slightly, my heart picking up in pace. I couldn't lie to him, that _look_ in his eyes was free of judgement. I felt _safe_.

There was a pressing question that I felt needed answering.

"In my studies I read that it doesn't really snow in the Clover Kingdom. That the weather is much more temperate. Is that true?" The Wizard King looked at me, not sure where I was going with this, but nonetheless he answered.

"We do have winter here, but you'll find it's much less severe in the royal capital." I nodded at his answer.

That was good. As long as I stayed in the capital, I would be fine.

I _hated_ the cold.

*******

" _Stop! Please, not my daughter!" I remembered how warm my mother's blood was, it was darker than I thought, the color was splattered and stained into the walls, the ceiling, and me. It was almost funny how warm it was because my blood felt cold in my veins, frozen. As if I were the dead one and she was the one alive._

_I remembered crying, a group of masked men laughing at my sorrow, a white-haired woman pushed through the group, her sharp face was curled in what was supposed to be comforting, but it didn't fit the harsh edges of her skin, it was false._

_Her bony hand reached forward, open to me, her sharp nails on display. Despite her honey-sweet smile, I knew this woman was dangerous, she was a predator. Her nails grasped my face, hard. "What a little beauty you are." She took a look around the room and smiled with her teeth showing. Everything about her was screaming danger. "Dear me, what a horrific scene. It had to happen, you understand, don't you?" Her hand curled around my arm._

_The room grew colder the longer I was silent. This would be my first encounter with this particular kind of magic._

_Those same nails pierced my arm when I shook my head._

_No, I didn't know why my mother had to die. In my eyes, she had never lifted a finger to harm anyone. Bits of fluff fell from the ceiling, inside my house. I reached out to touch one of the beautiful, white flakes. As soon as my fingers touched one, I instantly recoiled. The part that had touched my skin burned now. It was unlike any other burn I had encountered before. This wasn't a playful lick of flames. This was...different._

_It was so_ _ **cold** _ _._

" _Disloyalty is punishable by death. Your mother and brother needed to be taught a lesson. But don't you worry, the Diamond Kingdom will care for you now." She was a blizzard in the dead of winter, chilling all._

_And me?_

_I was a stupid little flower._

******* _  
_

"Are you alright?" I gasped, I hadn't thought about that particular memory in _years._ That was the moment I had been ripped away from everything. I tore my eyes away from the pen I didn't know I was holding. _When did I pick that up?_ The cool silver dug into my skin, red marks littered my palm. I looked up into the concerned eyes of the Wizard King, a small frown in place. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I dropped the pen hastily, hurrying to apologize.

"Your majesty-"

He held his hand up and I instantly stopped talking. He fixed me a small smile. "Please, call me Julius. Also, there's no need to apologize or rush, I understand this must be difficult. It's not everyday someone manages to leave the Diamond Kingdom alive." He sat back in his seat, allowing me to continue.

_Bless him._

I wasn't one to so willingly give up the cards I held close to my heart. I bit my lip, Julius, true to his word, was waiting patiently for me, not urging me in any way. I appreciated that. "I've lived in the Diamond Kingdom my entire life." I said, finding my words at last. I looked past him, to the window outside, my eyes fixed on the clear, blue sky. "The Diamond Kingdom is nothing like this one. I've never seen so much _green._ The air is clearer, and the sky bluer." I noticed it in the forest, the foliage grew denser, more vibrant the closer I got to the Clover Kingdom. "The Kingdom lived up to its name, but diamonds are cold and hard."

"I've heard the Diamond Kingdom is a harsh land, nothing compared to the Clover Kingdom's fertile lands." Julius said. "The few times I've been on Diamond soil I was a little _preoccupied,_ so I didn't exactly get a good look at the state of the place but it was the opposite of Clover Kingdom."

I nodded, it was. So _many_ people lived in poverty, power was everything, and the weak did not survive. Diamonds were precious yes, but they were hard, unforgiving, easy to cut your hands on once tempered. I suppose in a way, I _was_ lucky. I never faced the same starvation others did.

My starvation was different.

I never went hungry, but I was starved of a family, human interaction, and any semblance of a normal life.

I honestly couldn't tell which was worse.

"Our government is just as harsh and a person can only take so much before they break. I chose to leave." I didn't mention that I _had_ broken, multiple times in fact. I didn't need to say it, I had an eerie sense that he _did_ know that. "The Kingdom had a special interest in me, my guess is they liked my magic."

I heard Julius hum, my eyes sliding back to him, he was staring at me intently, a flush rising to my cheeks. _Did he always have to do that? The real question, is do I always have to blush?_ He slowly stood, going around the desk until he was standing right in front of me. His height cast a tall shadow over me and I raised my eyes over him, until I reached his serious face.

 _He's so close._ I squirmed back into my seat, sinking further into the cushion, nerves began to overtake me as I waited to see what he would do. I could almost _feel_ the heat coming off him, he was that close. His hand moved to sit on my shoulder, I gulped at the unexpected contact. "Wh-"

"What kind of magic do you have?" I blinked, taken back. He was so _giddy_. The same excitement from last night appeared in him again, stars in his eyes, a wide smile plastered on his face, he was practically shaking with curiosity.

"Huh?"

The confusion was evident on my face because he chuckled, "I never got to find out last night and now you've reminded me." I nodded, _that's right._ There had been a little guessing game, and he was so curious to examine the tree's burn mark. Julius's gaze was full of excitement and it felt a little contagious. "I've never seen magic that color before!"

He must mean the lilac color energy I cast off. I answered a little distractedly. "Oh, my magic attribute is mana? I don't quite have the word for it." Julius nodded eagerly, waiting for more information. More stars filled in his eyes, he looked like a child awaiting a present, and it was remarkably adorable. I smiled a little.

I opened my mouth, ready to explain a little more. "I use ma-" a loud grumble from my stomach filled the room, abruptly stopping all conversation. I blushed brightly, highly embarrassed and even Julius looked a little surprised.

"Ah, I apologize for being inconsiderate. You must be hungry, I doubt you've had much to eat." He stepped away from me and I tried not to mourn the warmth of his hand. Julius stuck out his arm, beckoning me to follow. "You can tell me more about your magic on the way." I stared at his outstretched hand for a moment, before I nodded and took it, standing from my seat.

Too quickly he let my hand go and I moved to stand next to him, following his lead. "Oh, where are we going?" Hopefully he would tell me, to my experience, people in this castle had a habit of not saying.

"Well, to get us something to eat." That made sense. I brightened up at the prospect of having something to eat. _Wait, he said 'us'._ Was I about to have breakfast with the _Wizard King_? My internal monologue was interrupted by the cool breeze I felt on my arms. I couldn't hold back the involuntary shiver. I hoped Julius hadn't noticed.

"Are you alright?" _Curses._

I waved my hands frantically in the air, "I'm fine! It's silly, I'm just not too fond of the cold and

I usually wear my cloak since it has a warmth enchantment, _blah_... Really, it's dumb."

He frowned a little, "well, we can't have that now can we?" I simply stared at him. What was he talking about? I was being childish, it wasn't even that cold. He tapped his chin and smiled at me. He began removing the jewelry that laid on his robe as I watched, puzzled to what he was doing.

"I'm sure your cloak will be returned to you soon. In the meantime, these halls can get pretty drafty." I gasped as he unbuttoned the robe he was wearing, no doubt his Wizard King robes and draped it over my shoulders. He placed it on me with such casualty, as if it was an everyday gesture. I did nothing as he clasped the robe, securing it. I could feel his fingers lightly brush my neck as he carefully buttoned the collar. "There, it's nice and snug."

My stomach tied as I swore I could hear his voice drop a bit. To my dismay, he stepped away from me, giving me air I didn't know I needed. I found it in myself to act, "thank you." It was more of a whisper, the way it came across. The Wizard King gave me a brief nod and moved ahead, towards the door. With his back to me, I gave myself a chance to take in the new attire.

It was very warm, and very heavy. I couldn't help but breathe in as quietly and as deeply as I could, it was very clean smelling, like the sun, and there were notes of cloves, books and the faint smell of mana. All in all, it was _very_ nice. As I followed, I tried not to think too much about the gesture and any possible meaning behind it.

We left the room and turned right, it was a very short walk, down the empty hallway, _seriously did anyone live here?_ Julius stopped right in front of a tall painting of a swing. "You missed breakfast, but I'm sure between the both of us we could manage something." I looked at him confusion, then what were we doing in front of this painting?

He put his finger to his lips, in a shushing motion, his face mischievous. His arm reached for the painting, grasping the edge of the frame before tugging. My eyes widened and I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips as the painting gave way, revealing a hidden hallway. Julius beckoned me to head in first before stepping in after, swinging shut the 'door'.

It was dark at first. Candles that lined the walls lit on their own, illuminating the stone walls. There were no windows making it obvious that we were inside the walls. He took one look at my shocked face and chuckled.

"There's quite a few hidden passages scattered throughout the castle, this is just one of them. It's also the most important one in my opinion."

"Oh?" What could it be? "The most important one?" He stepped in front of me and began walking again, I hurried to follow. I wasn't exactly short, but he was much taller than me, his steps were naturally longer, and what was worse, he seemed to be a speed walker.

"Yes, this particular passage is very important, it leads to the kitchens!" I snorted, he was a little silly wasn't he? Now that his back was turned, I had time to take in more of his features. Even though the light was a little dim from the candles, I could clearly see him. Without the heavy robe on, I could see how trim he actually was. The outfit underneath was of a much slimmer fit. I flushed and quickly tore my eyes away from him.

An unfamiliar feeling swirled in my stomach, not for the first time, I was embarrassed at how attractive I found him and surprised at how kind he was being. If the reverse was happening and I was found escaping into the Diamond Kingdom, I would have been tortured for information and then probably killed. I felt indebted to him.

I cleared my throat, he hummed, having heard me but continued going and I wondered what he was thinking. "About my magic, I can manipulate mana." He didn't say anything so I took that as a sign to continue. "That's my magical attribute." My eyes wandered over to the walls, avoiding his reaction. I was all too aware of his presence, the closer quarters left less room between us.

He suddenly turned on his heel, facing me and I squeaked, there were a few inches separating us, I could easily reach out and touch him. I wondered how much muscle hid underneath that white tunic. _Where did that come from?_ He was _much too close._ I had never felt so flustered around anyone of the opposite sex before, yes, it had been a while since I was in close proximity to males but this was something else.

His expression wasn't one of lust or anything, this was pure curiosity, he had that same energy as before, I didn't know this man, but I had a funny feeling he was a magic nerd. He was so _different_ compared to our, _no, their_ king. I never really met Morris face to face, but consistently heard rumors of his cruel nature.

Though I wanted to laugh at how puppy-like he was, I couldn't help but think of the current I still felt between us, it hadn't left. I hesitated to go into further detail but the stars in the Wizard King's eyes encouraged me. If I didn't tell him now, he was never going to stop pestering me about it. "Basically, I can create items out of mana," to prove my point, I took a deep breath and focused on the image in my head. The familiar energy gathered on my closed palm and I could _feel_ Julius's anticipation. "I can draw out mana from around me and use it instead of my reserves."

" _Ah,_ so _that's_ the shift I felt in the air." I nodded, his excitement must have rubbed off on me, for the first time in a long while, I began to feel joy as I used my magic.

"I can choose where my sources of mana come from. In a way, I'm pretty sensitive to magic so I can distinguish between mana."

I opened my hands and in the center, a little mana rabbit sat in my hands. It twitched its violet nose and whiskers. From the corner of my eye I could see Julius reaching to touch it, as soon as his fingers made contact with the mana creature, it vanished in a small puff.

Creating cute little animals to accompany me was one of the ways I liked to pass the time. They obviously weren't alive and you couldn't touch them but they acted like they were alive and that was the most important part.

Bunnies were my favorite, I liked how they hopped around the corners of my room, their nervous nature was similar to my disposition and they were just the _cutest_.

"Wow!"

"Honestly it's just like any other attribute." I looked nervously to the ground, not used to praise.

"No need to be so humble, I've never seen another attribute like _that_!" The genuine awe in his voice warmed my cheeks. "What else can you do?"

"Mana creation and absorption are just an aspect of my magic." I said somewhat sheepishly. Mana embodies everything, it is the makeup of all magic, it lives in every living creature, every tree, plant, the very earth, from the smallest ant to the biggest mountain. It was infinite. "I can manipulate mana and I have a few spells in defensive magic. My attack magic, in theory, can break down any spell as you know, all spells-"

"Are made from mana."

"Exactly."

 _What was my biggest failure again? Oh yeah, the fact that I can't use attack magic ._ Julius's eyes were wide, a million questions were no doubt running through his mind. I rushed to amend my sentence. "But it's not like you think, they were really after my potential, so it's a little funny when it turns out I can't really control it. It seems like their interest was for nothing, I told you the burn on the tree was fluke right?" I attempted to laugh off the statement, but even to me my laugh was shaky.

"What do you mean a fluke?"

I took a shaky breath and ran my finger over the rough stone walls. "I can't use attack magic well. It's extremely difficult for me to conjure anything up. Besides moments of sheer panic, it takes me a very long time to muster anything remotely harmful. I actually have no idea where the Diamond Kingdom got it in their heads that I could do _that_." And it certainly didn't stop the Kingdom from trying to activate it by sheer force if they had to. After all I was just an experiment.

There was no time to add anything more, we came to a dead end and Julius stopped in front blank wall. Before I could question him, he pushed lightly on the wall and a doorway opened up. My jaw dropped as I saw the arch form from the wall. He walked in, "the kitchens have a few different secret entrances. Most of them, no one knows about."

I followed him in and watched in awe as the doorway closed up and was purely wall. "Your secret's safe with me!" The sweet aroma of bread wafted towards my nose and I turned excitedly. The kitchen area was huge and it hit me that it was the first kitchen I had been in almost twelve years.

For some strange reason, I felt like crying.

My neck turned up to see the tall, curved ceilings. There were rows and rows of counters lining the walls, all full of food.

The smells were so pleasant, my stomach began its rumbling again, my mouth watered slightly, where did I even begin?

"Thank you, it's most appreciated." I looked back down and saw Julius's amused face. My cheeks reddened slightly at being caught gawking. Julius swiped food left and right from the counters, into his arms. There was no one else in the kitchen, it was just us. He led me to a wooden, square table with four chairs and laid all the food he had gathered onto the table. "Please sit." He gestured towards the chair directly across from him.

I slowly sat down and watched as he summoned plates and silverware to us. I had never seen such a spread. There were so many foods I didn't recognize, my diet for the last few years unchanging. He handed me a slice of toast and I took it. "This, this is a lot of food." It really was, there was bread, cheese, prepared dishes, fruits, and _cake,_ among other things, not to mention the drinks available. _How did he even manage to grab all this?_

"I figured you would be pretty hungry." Julius slid the butter plate across the table so I wouldn't have to reach over the table. _How considerate._ Although my stomach grumbled earlier, I hadn't realized how _hungry_ I was, the dull pain was gnawing at my body. I used the fork nearest to me to pick up a rather appetizing apple slice.

"Thank you, I guess it's been a few hours since I've eaten." I said as I eagerly took a bite out of an apple slice. He smiled again and picked a dish for himself, humming happily. _Of course he would go for the cake._

"Actually, it's been about a day and a half." The apple nearly lodged in my throat and I had to spit it out rather ungracefully. I didn't find the will in me to care about the rude act, I had missed a whole day! Something terrible could have happened in that time, was the Kingdom after me? Had they located me? My heart started racing and my breathing was starting to get shallow.

Julius's hand reached across the table and lightly laid his over mine, immediately stopping my wild thoughts, my heart skipping a beat. "Relax, you're safe here. No one can come after you. Would you like some tea?" He offered me the teapot and I nodded, holding my cup for him. They were merely words, what Julius said, but I believed him. I felt safe here already.

He poured the hot liquid, steam rising from my cup. "Sorry, I'm just a little paranoid I guess." I explained as I wrapped my hands around the warm cup.

He was warm as he spoke, "you have every right to be. Now, do you want to tell me about it?"

He wasn't demanding as man of his position should be, but nonetheless, it was hard to refuse. Gentle and firm, I felt compelled to speak the truth. Most of it at least. I gulped and nodded, he removed his hand and I mourned the comfort it gave.

This was going to be hard, I was very scared to mention certain facts. I took a long sip of my tea, the arm liquid providing some much needed comfort. _I'm safe. I'm safe._ I took a deep breath, setting my cup down, and held Julius's gaze; my chin lifted slightly, in a show of confidence.

"I was part of the nobility in the Diamond Kingdom." I shook my head, "no, that's not the word, we don't truly have the social ranks of the Clover Kingdom, too much poverty for nobility, you see." I said the last bit lightly, trying to play down the intensity of growing up. "I was part of an influential family. My father worked for the kingdom and my mother was from an old family. We had money and my family wasn't afraid to throw it around." I found it was easier to talk when I was distracted by say, buttering toast. "The point was, I didn't struggle as other girls my age did, I never missed a meal and my parents spoiled me."

My heart felt a phantom pain at the thought of my lovely parents. What I had lost, what had been _taken_ from me. I felt as if my beginnings discredited me. How could _I_ justify my pain and claim myself a prisoner when I had been blessed with a fortunate family?

"What would compel you to leave then? Surely someone of your status wouldn't leave just like that." I sighed and set down the butter knife.

"I was taken from my family when I was ten years old. I watched as the Kingdom slaughtered my mother in front of me. They claimed treason as the reason for her death, they entered my family's home and cut down everyone in their path." I was numb to the pain I felt when I reflected on my past memories, often opting to suppress them. "She wasn't even cold yet when I was placed in the care of the Kingdom."

Julius placed his hand back over mine, gently squeezing it "I'm truly very sorry-"

"That's not all." Now that the floodgates were open, everything rushed out, never before had I been able to tell my story to anyone. There was no one that would care to listen. "I had an older brother too." There was a moments silence when I paused and he waited patiently for me to continue. "My father was a soldier for the Diamond Kingdom and died in combat a few weeks earlier, they wanted to replace him with my brother. Apparently a member of our house had always served the Diamond Kingdom, a deal of sorts in exchange for the comfort we lived in. Death or not, they were going to collect that."

"My brother refused to fight for the Diamond Kingdom, he liked peace, you see." I desperately wanted to get across that no matter what, my family were good people, that they loved me with all their hearts and the only mistake they ever made was staying. "He was a few years older than me and completely terrified."

"When he didn't spend back his response, they took me instead and killed him on the spot as he tried to help me, as a reminder of what happened to those who opposed the Kingdom." It was hard to keep the bitterness out of my voice, but the resurfacing memories were bringing up emotions I avoided for years.

"I'm sorry for your loss." My stinging eyes saw genuine sorrow for me in his eyes. How curious, this man truly was the perfect leader. I sent him a wane smile.

I waved off his apology. "It's been years since that."

"Years or not, it must be painful."

There was much more that I had wanted to gloss over. I didn't want to tell Julius of what had become of me, I knew I had an obligation to say, but it was harder to say than I thought.

I sighed deeply, "He was killed eleven years ago. Like I said, right after he and my mother were murdered, the Diamond Kingdom took me." My food didn't look appetizing to me anymore. "Because of my magic, I was to be a weapon for the Kingdom."

Now for the hardest part. I closed my eyes and braced myself. "I _didn't_ hate it. At first, it was nice. My first teacher was kind, I was treated really well, I was given things, like pretty clothes and a room to myself. We were doing good things, like stopping robbers and bandits. We fed hungry people, I saved families." He needed to know that I wasn't a bad person, that I genuinely thought I was good. "We were told that our magic was used to protect others. I was the _good_ guy. A hero."

"What happened?" I flashed him a wry smile, he was better at reading others than I would have thought. But then again, Julius wasn't the Wizard King for no reason.

"It changed. I'm not sure what happened, but once I turned fourteen, I was given a new teacher, a _mentor,_ and I was sent to massacre a village of innocents, for no reason. I couldn't do it and I cried all night before my new 'teacher' reminded me of what happened to the weak. Everyday I was pushed beyond what my body and mind could take. After three years I deemed unfit for field work and was confined to my room, I was kept at the castle, in a bedroom I couldn't leave, honing my skills so that one day, I would be 'fit' enough to help launch a full-scale attack against any foe. I spent nearly six years under 'house arrest' before I could no longer take it and escaped."

I waited for some kind of response from Julius.

He looked a little confused, I couldn't blame him, with the missing pieces, he didn't have a clear picture of the situation. "Attack magic isn't your specialty, however." It wasn't meant to insult, I knew where he was coming from. I _had_ told him that I was weak in offensive magic, which I very much was.

*******

_My hands hurt. They were so cold, I couldn't safely move them. How long had I been like this? "P-please, it hurts."_

_Her lips curled into a steely smile, the edges sharp as daggers and her voice sweet as honey. When she spoke, there was no sympathy to be found. "Magic is at its most beautiful unleashed, powerful, deadly. It only hurts because you consistently deny it. Why do you deny its beauty?" Her sharp nails dug into my shoulders, the tears I shed were nothing more than cold trails on my cheeks, dried in place. "You could not muster a single offensive spell. Your duty was to unleash your beauty on those unworthy villagers, yet you did not. Why?"_

_My body shook as my lips wobbled out whatever defiance I had left in me. "If using my m-magic like that is beautiful, I'd rather be hideous."_

_Her smile dropped, a cold glare replaced it instead. The nails tightened on my skin, breaking it, the beads of blood beginning to run. Her fury was palpable. "How dare you. The Kingdom deserves nothing but the most beautiful magic, to mock it is to mock the Kingdom." I felt the familiar sparks of her magic begin to drill into my body._

" _It seems you need more lessons."_

*******

"I'm a lot better on defense. I can create mana shields that block out all spells and other things. That was enough for Diamond Kingdom but I was still seen as a failure for not mastering it all." I tried to laugh that part off as if it were nothing but the number of 'disciplines' I had countered that.

We sat in silence, I continued to eat as Julius broke the silence.

He didn't look at me different. He looked, kind. I felt minutely better about the situation. "That sounds like a terrible ordeal, I'm glad you're here with us now. If you don't mind, how did you manage to escape anyways?"

I let out a small laugh, "oh that, over the years as I gained trust, my mentor went away on a week long mission and the number of guards around my rooms dwindled down to two. I said I was feeling sick and would simply rest. It was easy enough to convince them to take an early night and go drinking. While they left, I made a hole in my window with my magic and escaped."

Julius smirked into his goblet and I dropped my toast, _damn_. He leaned forward slightly, and I waited with my breath held. "Well, that was certainly an interesting tale, now that we've come to understand the situation a bit better why don't we-"

"THERE YOU ARE!" I screamed as a portal opened over Julius shoulder and an angry looking man screamed on. _What is_ _ **with**_ _this place?_ "Do you know how long I've been looking for you? I've had to dodge THREE inquiries on your location, rearrange FIVE MEETINGS, and ENTERTAIN THE KING FOR TWO HOURS!" I blinked. Whoever this blue-haired man was, he seemed really stressed out.

Julius was the picture of opposite, looking completely unconcerned with the coronary the other man was having. "Good morning to you too, Marx." He simply picked up a piece of toast and proceeded to eat it.

I looked at the exchange and saw Marx's change colors, settling on a nice puce. It was rather captivating. "OH NO, DO NOT 'GOOD MORNING' ME! Where have you _been_? You better have a good reason for ignoring your duties!" Despite the seriousness of his voice, somehow, I didn't think entertaining a king was a Wizard King duty.

Julius just turned to me and smiled brightly. I melted a little. "Marx, I'd like you to meet our guest over here." As if noticing me for the first time, Marx turned towards me, completely shocked, a flush on his face. There was a long pause where he struggled to say anything, gaping like a fish instead.

He glanced at Julius quickly then back to me, bowing his head fervently. "I apologize for my behavior! I should have never spoken like that in front of a lady." I giggled at his apology. Men could be so silly sometimes.

"Think nothing of it. It was actually very interesting to witness."

"The lady in question is partly the reason for my missing." Julius was very lighthearted about it, but I couldn't help but feel guilty. _He wasn't at his duties because of me._ He probably had a million things to do and here he was, having breakfast with me and listening to me sob on about my life. "She's been through quite a lot, in fact she's a new citizen to the country." My eyes widened and my heart thudded, was he being serious, truly? Was I a Clover Kingdom citizen now? Just like that?

He read the question in my eyes because he smiled lightly and nodded. I couldn't help but beam back at him, and I think _I_ caught _him_ a little off guard to receive that much enthusiasm. He dropped _his_ toast and picked up a new one without breaking the eye contact we had. It was like I couldn't tear my eyes away from his, cheesy as it sounds. Time felt slower and less important, it was like we were the only people in the room.

"Yes, well, um, congratulations miss." Marx cleared his throat and broke our stare. Oh, right, we _weren't_ the only ones here. He seemed as uncomfortable as I now felt. He turned to Julius. "Don't think that you can skip out on any more of your duties! You are the _Wizard King_ after all. I need you here now!"

Julius waved off Marx's concerns. "Why, Marx, do try to relax. Let me just settle our guest in and then I'll head over." I oddly felt disappointed that I wouldn't spend all day with Julius, but it made sense, he was a _military leader_ , he didn't have time to babysit me.

"I-"

"Excellent, see you soon." With that, Julius closed off the portal, effectively ending the conversation with Marx. He then turned to me. "Sorry to end our little breakfast early, I was enjoying your company very much." I nodded quickly.

"Don't worry about me! You're the Wizard King, I've kept you from your duties." I bit my lip nervously before quietly adding, "I enjoyed your company a lot too." I silently cursed at how unrefined I sounded compared to him.

Julius's smile could have been a smirk under a different light, "I'd like to finish our conversation at a later time. Now tell me, what would you like to do now?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. There were a number of thoughts that ran through my head, none of them decent. _Stop it, get some help._ "What would I like to do?" I hummed as I mulled it over. I had never been asked before.

"Naturally, until we determine that the Diamond Kingdom is no threat, you'd have to stay here, perhaps with some protection, but your days are yours." There was an indecipherable glint in Julius's eyes but I nodded nonetheless. It was new for me to have this much free reign. "Concerning your citizenship, I'm extending you a form of it, however the king needs to attach his personal stamp before it's one hundred percent official. It's a very simple process that should take no more than a fortnight."

I nodded eagerly, my head spinning a little. Did he say I was staying _here?_ As in the castle? _With him? Lucky indeed._ "That sounds very reasonable. Thank you." I did internally high five myself at how collected I managed to pull off.

He stood up from the chair and came to where I was sitting, his hand reached out and squeezed my shoulder. His hand was delightfully warm and I restrained myself from squirming. "I'll have someone direct you to your new room, so you can settle before meeting some people. Don't worry, everything will be taken care of." Julius gave me one last, lingering squeeze before lifting his hand and leaving me to finish breakfast alone.

My cheeks were still warm from our interaction, w-what was this feeling? One thought ran through my mind.

_How am I supposed to eat now?_

_*******  
_

As promised, as soon as I had finished breakfast, (attempted to as I was feeling a little too giddy to eat much) a woman, the same young girl that accompanied Meredith earlier today, appeared by my side and I barely had time to take in her sudden appearance before she was leading me to my new room. This woman was closer to my age and unlike before, she was _much_ more talkative than Meredith.

I think I preferred the old lady.

"Oh! Aren't you a pretty thing! Say, where are you from?"

"-"

"I'm from Raque myself, have you heard of it? Beautiful place to live, the air there is real clear too! Nothing like the stench of the Capital."

"I-"

"I've been living here for almost nine years can you believe it? When I first came here, do you know what I said to myself? I said, ' _Myrna, no more than half a year, maybe a year, then straight home!'_ Silly how things end up, innit?"

"That's-"

"Then again the Capital is the only place to find eligible men…Snagging a Magic Knight, no a noble! Oh, oh, a _royal_! That's the dream." She sighed dreamily.

"Oh-"

"Can you believe I'm not married yet? These francy nobles don't know what they're missing, I'm the total package!"

Thankfully my room wasn't too far away.

 _Holy crap!_ It was a massive thing. Bigger than the one in the Diamond Kingdom, and though I spent eleven years in the other one, this one immediately felt like home. My given bedroom had pale blue walls, white furniture, and an adjoined bathroom, large enough to have a giant, marble tub in the center of the room. I had a lovely canopy bed and overall, it seemed like a room fit for royalty.

_No, a princess._

All in all, it was _very_ generous. It was a little overwhelming to be honest. Someone had taken the time to lay down my old clothes on the bed. I heard a little cough and turned around.

"Alrighty miss, that should be it! Take some time to adjust." The brunette smiled, paused, and winked right before telling me, "The Wizard King's room is at the end of the hall, if you...need anything." She left before I could question her. I wanted to scream.

Just what kind of relationship did this woman think I had with Julius?

Wait, what kind of relationship did _I_ think I had?

I muttered under my breath and looked back at the bed, where my clothes sat. I moved to sit on the edge and went through my clothing. I was perfectly content with the clothes I had on now. My hands lingered on my old cloak and my eyes widened. _I was still wearing Julius's robe._ No wonder the servant had _assumed_. "Agh!" I quickly took off the robe and almost chucked it on the bed. My fingers hovered over my old cloak, reluctant to pick it up.

I loved my cloak dearly, but the diamond symbol under my family crest made me frown. I no longer wanted to wear it like this, not that I ever truly wanted that insignia polluting my cloak. I wondered if I could commission a tailor, to replace the diamond with a clover, to symbolize my new allegiance. Or have it removed completely.

Then it occurred to me.

I had no money.

I didn't have a need for it back then, and my family's money was seized by the government. I had no job yet, so therefore, I was broke. _Ah, I guess any adjustments will have to wait. For now, I'm just going to wear it inside out._ Once my citizenship was official, the first thing I was going to do was get a job.

I glanced back at my bed and bit my lip. Julius's robe was still here. He hadn't taken it back when he left. _Why?_ He had seen me with it on. I pulled on the laces of the brown boots they gave me and sat thinking.

 _What do I do with it?_ I frowned, considering my options. I needed to get this back to him. In the meanwhile, it wouldn't hurt to wear it in my room would it? I had already paraded around the castle with it on. I scanned the room quickly and smiled, putting on the robe over my own rather dramatically. I walked over to a large mirror and posed in front of it. It was silly, but it was fun.

I dropped my voice to something more authoritative. "Ah yes, it is I, the Wizard King. How could a woman become Wizard King you say? _Ha!_ There is no gender bias, all that matters are results! I'll-"

The knock on the door threw me off and I scrambled to throw the robe off. They knocked again and I rushed to open the door. In front of me stood a maid, a different one from before. _How many people worked here? I didn't see a single soul anywhere!_ I prayed she would be normal. Please.

"M'lady." She gave me a little curtsy. "I've been told to lead you to the main hall." I nodded and quickly grabbed the robe I threw off and draped it over my arm. Maybe now I could give it back to Julius. The maid raised her eyebrows at the robe on my arm but thankfully said nothing as she led me down some stairs.

Bless her, she minded her business.

She stopped in front of some double doors and pushed them open, "Just wait here, they'll be here any minute." She signaled for me to enter and in I went, I walked to the center and jumped when I heard the doors close. I turned back and saw that she hadn't followed me in. "Hello?" I called out. Was I alone in this room?

This was another massive room, drafty. There were steps leading to a throne in the front of the room but no one there. Some benches lined the walls, leaving the center open. Seeing as I was alone, I took a seat on the stone steps and set Julius's robe besides me.

To pass the time, I reached into my pockets and took an inventory.

_Compass? Check._

_Mother's ring? Check._

_Money? Negative. No check._

_Identification? Nope._

_Assortment of lints? Check._

_Cool rock from the river?_ _**Check** _ _._

The doors towards the front of the room swung open, I startled, and two people walked in. I put my hand over my chest and took a deep breath. That scared the _shit_ out of me. I quickly stood to my feet and patted my clothes off.

There was a pretty, pink-haired woman, dressed scantily, with a witches' hat on and talking loudly, "Sorry we're late! We got caught up in traffic." The woman was swaying slightly as she walked up to me, _is she drunk?_

Her companion was much more intimidating. He was tall, very muscular, dark-haired and was currently smoking, he didn't offer a greeting.

"Hi?" I greeted politely, having nothing else to say. Who were these people?

The woman came close and swung and arm around my shoulder, pulling my body close to hers. I tensed at the sudden contact. _Wow_ was she touchy-feely. "Vanessa." The man warned.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Pish posh, c'mon Captain, I'm not hurting anyone, live a little." Yami glowered at her but Vanessa took no notice of him. She turned to me and smiled somewhat sloppily, patting my arm. "You should see the look on your face!" She moved with more agility than I thought was possible to pinch at my cheeks. She laughed when I dodged her quick hands. "You're such a cutie!

She was a _mess_.

I liked her already.

"Hello, I'm Vanessa, member of the Black Bulls," That explained the matching black robes they wore, "and this here is Yami Sukehiro." Vanessa sounded much more sober as she properly introduced themselves to me. She gestured towards her companion.

"The Black Bulls?" The name sounded vaguely familiar, again I cursed myself for not taking my history lessons more seriously.

"We're one of the nine Magic Knight Squads, Captain Yami is the Black Bulls Captain." I had enough knowledge to know about the Magic Knights. I glanced at the Captain, Yami, was it? He nodded at me.

"What up?" I was still pretty clueless as to what was going on. "Don't look so confused, we're here to watch out for you. We've been given a brief rundown about the situation. Essentially, we're your guard detail."

Julius must have already arranged everything then. That was fast.

I was a little at a loss for words. "Oh, thank you for that." What else was I supposed to say?

Yami puffed on his cigarette before clearing his voice. "We're not staying here though. This place gives me the heebie jeebies." I looked at him.

"We're not?"

He waved his hand through the air, uncaring. "Nah, we're going back to the Black Bulls. We can watch you there too, even better because we'll all be there, know your area, natural habitat and all that." I shifted, one concern rising to my head, "Don't worry about it too much, Julius will come get you as soon as it starts to get dark. That man knows everything." I refused to blush at how he managed to gauge what I was feeling.

Something told me this man was nothing to be trifled with. I could get a great sense of his mana levels just on first glance, and that told me all I needed to know. They were both very powerful Magic Knights, Yami was just on another level, that was the power of a Magic Knight Captain.

"Right." I agreed and went to follow them before I stopped. "Um, the Wizard King left this with me, I was wondering if either of you knew where to leave it." I gestured to the robe that I picked up sometime.

I watched as the two exchanged looks, though they were too fast to read. Or I didn't really know how to read human emotion all that well. Yami was the one who spoke. "I reckon Old Julius will come get it when he wants to." That was the end of _that_ discussion. I held on to the robe, now that there was no second option. I wasn't complaining, although it was a _little_ heavy.

"Okay so where's the Black Bulls' base?"

Vanessa answered that one for me. "Well, it's a little _far_ from the Royal Capital, that's for sure."

My smile was a little strained, did everyone in this country like to speak in half answers? "How are we getting there?"

Yami smiled wickedly, "We have our own personal mule." My eyes widened and I couldn't help but get excited at that. I had never seen a mule in my life before. I wondered what it would look like. My imagination could only think up so many different creatures. How big was a mule anyways? Could one really carry three people? How fast was it? Did Yami have a mule farm?

**_***_ **

I didn't think I had any expectations, but it was most certainly not _that_. We headed out of the castle and met up with a third mage, by the looks of the robe he was wearing, also a Black Bull. He was leaning against an archway and instantly scurried to straighten up when Yami came closer. I frowned a little, I didn't see any animals.

"C-captain Yami! Back so soon?" He was a young man with brown hair and pierced ears. He was rather cute. More importantly, he seemed normal. He looked a little nervous to be standing in front of Yami, his eyes darted to the sides, before they inevitably landed on me.

"Hey you, lazeabout. Time for you to do some real work, let's go home." The young man ignored Yami as a smile grew on his face and made a beeline in my direction.

" _Hello_ to _you_ , I'm Finral Roulacase, and who is this lovely lady I have the pleasure of speaking with?" He grabbed my right hand and placed a kiss on it. It was so over the top, I couldn't help but giggle.

"Hello Finral, nice to meet you, I'm-" Apparently Yami had enough of being ignored because I felt the temperature drop.

"I _said_ , time to _go_." He grabbed Finral's arms and pushed them to his sides before shoving Finral several feet over. Finral let out a yelp and quickly opened up a portal. Spatial magic, right? I dawned on me that perhaps _Finral_ was the mule Yami was talking about. _Spatial magic really is super cool_ , I watched on in slight awe.

"This is spatial magic right?" I asked Finral. He looked at me curiously before nodding. "It's so cool!"

Finral's eyebrows shot up, "you really think so?" At my fervent nod, he flushed a little.

"Yes! It's one of my favorite magic types, the fact that you can get to one place to another _just_ like that is awesome!" It was the truth, I had always had a fascination with spatial magic, I wished I was able to use that kind of magic. Then no one would pin me down. I knew I was gushing by the redness of Finral's face. "You must have a ton of freedom-"

"After you." Yami pushed me none too delicately into the portal and before I could voice my indignation at being so manhandled, I had entered a different place. I pulled myself up and dusted my clothes off, picking up Julius's robe, it had fallen from my hands when I was so rudely shoved in. I straightened up and promptly dropped my jaw open.

The first thing I noticed were all the trees. Then I saw the enormous mismatched building in the center of the clearing. I stood still, taking in multiple rooms, the complex structure. I heard the others step out behind me. Yami came up and clapped me heavily on my shoulders, nearly knocking me down.

"Welcome to the Black Bulls Hideout."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmm. Okay, okay. theres def some action coming up, but like remember that this is a fluff piece and I'm sorry if anyone is ooc. I manipulated the plot a bit, just to fit this in. I am planning on following the major plot points of Black Clover. So yeah, this is a long one...
> 
> If you read this, thanks for indulging me and you're a doll. Thank you!


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulls, shopping, gambling, and minor chaos make for a rather odd day.

_**Black Clover** _

**III**

*******

" _After you." Yami pushed me none too delicately into the portal and before I could voice my indignation at being so manhandled, I had entered a different place. I pulled myself up and dusted my clothes off, picking up Julius's robe, it had fallen from my hands when I was so rudely shoved in. I straightened up and promptly dropped my jaw open._

_The first thing I noticed were all the trees. Then I saw the enormous mismatched building in the center of the clearing. I stood still, taking in multiple rooms, the complex structure. I heard the others step out behind me. Yami came up and clapped me heavily on my shoulders, nearly knocking me down._

" _Welcome to the Black Bulls Hideout."_

My eyes nearly popped out of my head, I had never seen _any_ building quite like this! It was a large mansion that seemed to suspend all rules of reality, for there was no way it was structurally sound, but here it was in all its glory. I thought it was beautiful. From the bits of conversation I heard between the three members, their base was as unruly as them and it suited them entirely. "Wow!" The location was just as breathtaking but the base was the true jewel. _It's only the outside too!_

"Don't just stand there! Come on in!" Vanessa cheered and headed to the front door, swinging it open. "If you think it's something on the outside, wait until you see the inside." I looked over at Yami and Finral, gauging their reactions. Finral appeared a little flustered and wasn't really looking at me but Yami gave me the go ahead and I walked _calmly_ to the door Vanessa held open.

If I thought the outside was beautiful, the inside was even better. I stood at the doorway, my neck craning to take in every detail. "Don't just stand in the doorway, we gotta get in too." Yami grumbled from behind me. _Oh right, the guys are still waiting to get in. Whoops._ My ears felt hot but I moved inside, standing in what seemed to be a common area. There was furniture that suggested it was a living room, perhaps an area of recreation.

I moved through the room, the place looked like a maze to me. I was certain that if I had to find my way around I would be lost. Without a doubt. The fact that I managed to find my way to the Clover Kingdom was a miracle that didn't even really involve me. _If Julius hadn't found me, I would have probably died from exposure or something. I have no sense of direction._

_I wonder what Julius is doing right now?_ Most likely doing his job. I couldn't even begin to imagine the workload being Wizard King came with. It seemed very stressful to me. _I probably haven't even crossed his mind._ I drew myself from my exceedingly pathetic thoughts, continuing my exploration of the common area. "How _big_ is this place?" I asked out loud.

A small breeze made contact with my skin and I subconsciously tighten my hold on Julius's robe, bringing it closer to me.

I could feel Captain Yami studying me from behind, unnerving me slightly but I ignored his stare on my back. I looked around the Black Bulls base, my eyes wide in wonder, I had never seen anything quite like it, there were endless halls and rooms as far as the eye could stretch, random decorations scattered around the room, each with a distinct taste. There was the smell of magic, alcohol, food, and something else, something comforting.

The base seemed to have a life of its own, bustling with loud sounds, the very walls alive in some way. For all its mess and chaos, the place screamed _home,_ this wasn't just a magic knight squad's headquarters, a family lived here. I loved it.

Everywhere I turned, the Clover Kingdom was already more of a home than the Diamond Kingdom ever had been. I turned to face Yami, a smile on my face. "Captain Yami, your base is wonderful! How-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME DORKSTA!" A girl not much younger than me with silver hair came out of one of the many halls, angrily stomping across the room and disappearing into another room.

A shorter young man followed behind her, "c'mon Noelle, I don't even know what I did! Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not that big of a deal." He also vanished into the direction Noelle went off, both of them hadn't even noticed the four of us standing in the living room. I flinched when I heard a loud scream coming from the other room. "UGH!"

Vanessa came from behind and swung her arm over me, staggering me as I struggled to find my balance. "To be young and in love. Am I right?" She sniggered into my ear.

"What?"

The bitter smell of alcohol wafted towards me, my eyes watering. Vanessa had popped open a bottle of alcohol, but that wasn't why I looked at her. Vanessa laughed off my confusion. "Never mind. That's Noelle and Asta, those little arguments are a daily thing for the Black Bulls."

"Wouldn't be the same without Noelle and Asta's screaming." Finral agreed.

"Noelle tends to get a little wound up and Asta is pretty clueless. He actually just woke up from a dungeon crawl not too long awoke. Kid's been asleep for a week." Yami's gruff voice added some much needed clarification. "It's really nothing to worry about, but damn, if they ain't loud." I nodded, to me, the dynamic just added to the family.

_He mentioned a dungeon crawl. Could it be the same one Lotus went off to? Had the Diamond Kingdom faced off with the Clover? Who had won?_ I fought the urge to ask, deeming it too brash. Also, Yami was a little scary. Maybe later, I could ask Julius? Surely he would know.

"How many Black Bulls are there?" I counted five so far, but with the amount of noise here, I was sure there had to be more. Right?

Finral stepped forward, all redness gone and started ticking off his fingers. "Well you've met Captain Yami, Vanessa, and yours truly." His eyebrows waggled at me, my cheeks puffed a little as I held in a laugh. He was pretty funny. "You saw Noelle and Asta, there's Gordon-"

I felt something tug on my pants and I looked down confused. There was a small child, tugging at my pants. _Ohmygod isn't she the cutest?_ "Hello, and who are you?" I greeted sweetly. What was a kid doing here of all places? She had to belong to someone. Then I turned to Yami. "Yami, is this your child?" The large man started sputtering and Vanessa burst out laughing. I stared at him, waiting for him to answer.

"NO!" Well. He didn't have to be so over dramatic. I felt embarrassed but indignant was a child and they looked similar enough, what else was I supposed to think?

_Oh?_ Then who was this? I looked back to the child still tugging at my pants. "Hi, I'm Charmy! Would you like to try a bite of this delicious snack?" A quick mana read told me that maybe she wasn't a child. She handed me a small cake and I brought it up to my face. It certainly _looked_ delicious.

I shrugged and took a bite out of it. Flavor exploded in my mouth, it was moist, sweet, and _perfect_. "Oh wow, Charmy, this is amazing!" The small woman squealed happily. It was definitely the best treat I had ever had.

"I know right!" Charmy quickly ate her own cake and frowned when she finished it. "I'm still so _hungry_. Cotton Creation Magic: Sheep cooks!" She opened up her grimoire and cast a spell, cotton began pouring out of her grimoire until a sheep materializing in front of me. It was just surprises after surprises, I would be shocked if my poor heart survived all the trauma. _Okay, so she's_ _ **not**_ _a child._ I didn't know how I missed the Black Bulls robe Charmy wore, but I noticed it now. _Definitely not a kid, she's a very strong Magic Knight._

I could only watch as Charmy jumped up and latched herself to the back of one of the cotton sheep and made their way out of the common area. Probably to the kitchens.

Well at least I didn't try to show her a magic trick.

"You wouldn't believe it, but that girl is one powerhouse, when her mind _isn't_ on food." Yami yawned, stretching his arms over his head, "Well now that that's over and you're here, I'm gonna hit the hay. Don't wake me up, unless you want to **die**." I shuddered at how easily the temperature seemed to drop around him, almost daring anyone to argue.

He turned to leave through another door, I couldn't hold back my question, "Captain Yami!" He stopped, irritation visible on his face.

" _What_?"

I felt a skip of fear race through me, but nevertheless I continued. "Um, it's just, what am I supposed to do?" I said, nervously twiddling with my fingers.

He stared at me blankly gauging if I was serious. "Look, I honestly don't care. The point is, you're going to be here all day, so I'd get comfortable if I was you." I opened my mouth to ask more, because he was _not_ very clear on what he was trying to get across. I needed a little more information than that. He sensed that I wasn't going to stay quiet because he rolled his eyes dramatically and rubbed his face. "Vanessa. Finral."

"Yes Captain!" the two stood at attention, the speed with which they responded was incredible and a little bizarre.

"Introduce her to the rest and then keep her company. I dunno, take her to the market. I'm sure she needs some new stuff. Like I said, I don't give a damn what you do, just do me a favor and stay out of my hair." He left in a cloud of smoke, waving his hand in the air, unbothered by the strange situation. Yami stopped, adding as an afterthought, "if you do leave, make sure you're back by sundown."

I didn't have much time to process what he said because Vanessa yanked me to face her. She clapped her hands. "We should go shopping! I know this great place in the Castle Town." It sounded like a great idea and Vanessa was certainly excited, but there was still the small issue of me not having any money. "Besides, I need to stock up on a few things."

I didn't even know what kind of currency they used in the Clover Kingdom. _The yul right?_

Still, I only recalled markets in my earlier days of childhood, when my mother would take me and some servants to select produce and supplies for the house. In those rare trips, I was guaranteed a new dress. I loved seeing the vendors and their items, the bold colors that drew your attention, the paper flowers that were sold. I smiled fondly at the memory and nodded. "That sounds really nice. I haven't been to a market in years."

I felt an arm drape itself over my shoulder and I almost jumped back in shock. Finral came up to my other side. "If the two of you ladies are going shopping, it's only sensible that I accompany as well." His chest puffed out a little and I couldn't help but laugh at the faux-deepness to his voice.

"Honestly Finral, give the girl some space. The last thing she needs is you fawning over her." Vanessa scolded the spatial mage, swatting his arm. His face dropped a little and he lifted the arm that was over me. Vanessa turned towards me, smiling widely. "Alright, you heard the Captain, if we wanna make it back before dark, we need to head out now. Finral." He flinched a little at the sound of his name.

"Y-yes?"

"Be a dear and open up a portal for us. You know where." Vanessa smiled and turned to me. "We're going to Kikka, it's the Castle Town. Great place to do some shopping and if we're lucky, we might even meet some nice men." She giggled at the flush on my face. _Seriously, that's the last thing I'm thinking about._

Despite me scowling at her teasing, I was getting giddy at the idea of going shopping. Even if I had no money, I could always window shop and then when I did have the cash, I would go back. _Yes, that's what I'll do. No harm in planning ahead._ I was excited at my first glimpse of society in a while.

"One portal to Kikka coming right up!" Finral flicked his hands and opened another portal. Vanessa walked through first. I was a little nervous and offered Finral a small smile, trying to convey my gratitude.

I cautiously stepped through the portal, not that I was afraid of any ulterior motives, but I wasn't sure what to expect. I half expected the thing to be a fluke, that we would end up back in the base, not having left. It was hard to believe that spatial magic really was what it was.

That it was so _easy_ to change locations.

The bustling of the people in the street said otherwise and instantly eased my mind. My eyes wide as I took in the new surroundings. I had never seen so many people in one location. The entire street was filled almost uncomfortably so. Vendors lined the streets, offering deals and promoting their merchandise.

Vanessa stood a few feet away from me, drinking heavily from a glass bottle. She finished it up, sighed, and wiped her mouth. I heard a scuffling noise and looked over my shoulder, the portal had closed and Finral was now dusting off his pants. The two Black Bulls came to stand next to me. "So what do you think?" Vanessa asked.

I looked at both of them and nearly shouted, "this is a big market!" It was the first thing that popped in my mind.

I heard Vanessa chuckle next to me. "I like a girl who can speak her mind. As amazed as you are now, just wait until you see where _we're_ going." She looped her arm through mine and started tugging me forward. I could hear Finral protesting at being left behind. I looked quizzically at Vanessa.

She laughed off my concerns. "Don't worry about Finral, he'll catch up eventually. He puts up a fight about being left behind, but I think he likes it better that way." I looked over my shoulder and true to Vanessa's words, he was now talking enthusiastically to a trio of young women. _Ah, okay._ "So I take it you haven't been to a market in awhile." She pointed out.

"Ah, is it really that obvious?" I asked bashfully, rubbing my suddenly hit neck.

Vanessa smiled kindly at me, "no, not really but you do have these wide eyes everywhere you look."

She was right, even now, I was craning my neck to look at a dress shop as we passed by. "It's been a long time since I got to go out and see one for myself. My mother, she used to take me and she always got me the prettiest dresses. So even after all this time, you can say markets and shops fascinate me. I associate them with fond memories." Vanessa stared at me, and I felt a little embarrassed for unloading so much on her.

"I'm sorry! I kind of went off on a tangent. You probably don't want to hear about all that."

She waved me off, "don't apologize, I wanna get to know you better, how do I do that if we don't talk? Now, let's get this list taken care of." We shared smiles.

Vanessa expertly skirted through the crowd, and I was grateful to have her. She stopped at multiple shops, conversing with the owners, trying the merchandise, and purchasing items from a list. I mostly stood back, observing with wide eyes all the amazing things on display.

"Did you see that robe?" I froze as I heard voices pass by. I cursed my stupidity, I should have left Julius's robe back at the base but I had felt uneasy about leaving it, the Black Bulls struck me as the type to destroy property.

It was safer with me. Probably.

"Yeah, it's those Black Bulls. How they even became a Magic Knight squad is beyond me." Confusion overtook my face. My eyes moved to the black robe over Vanessa's shoulders. They were talking about her. Not nicely either.

"Magic Knights, yeah right, they're more like criminals to me." I felt the familiar wisps of anger flood my stomach. I had only met a few members, but I knew that they were all good people with genuine intentions. Who were these people to condemn them?

"I've heard the men on the squad are all bloodthirsty murders and the women… well, let's just say, they like to _mingle._ " The intonation on his voice left no doubt what he meant by 'mingle.'

My feet pivoted, ready to confront the naysayers but a hand reached out and grabbed my elbow. I frowned at Vanessa. "Really, it's not worth it. People just like to talk and we're all used to it by now."

"Just because you're used to something doesn't mean it's okay." I spat out bitterly.

If she was surprised by the venom in my voice, she didn't say anything. Instead, Vanessa smiled at me. "It's touching that you're angry about this, but really, I don't care because none of it is true. I know what is, that's all that matters."

I sighed and wrapped my arms around myself. "You're right, it just makes me _mad_ when people are unnecessarily rude. They don't even know you."

"Well, neither do you and you're pretty riled up about my honor." I gaped at her. That was _different_. She giggled at my wide mouth, "kidding! Only not, c'mon there's this place you're gonna love!"

"Really? What is it?" I asked as she led me out of the store and down the street.

She looked at me conspiratorially. "If I tell you, promise not to cry?"

"What?"

Vanessa shrugged. "You look like a crier to me." I scowled at her observation. I didn't even deny it. I mumbled a quick ' _promise'_ under my breath. "Good enough, we're going to a Black Market of sorts. There's all kinds of good stuff to find but it can be a little dangerous. Stick close to me while we're there and you'll be right as rain."

Sounds good.

We went down an empty alley. Vanessa managed to open up some kind of doorway and directed me in.

There was a _lot_ more mana here. I could feel it coming off in waves. Every booth here had some form of strong magic at use, either as an illusion or as merchandise. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the main streets, it seemed like the townspeople avoided this part of the city. Every person here wielded magic, effectively at that.

I looked around the narrow street, staying close to Vanessa's side. She mentioned that the Black Market could be dangerous and I believed her. The entire alley reeked of magic and something seedier. Nevertheless, I felt certain that if any trouble _did_ arise, between the two of us, we'd be fine. I knew Vanessa wouldn't let anything happen to me.

I tried not to gawk at every stand we stopped at but the stuff available was incredible. There was one booth in particular that drew my attention. I had a spot in my heart for pretty things in life, the jewelry here pressed on those spots perfectly. One of the necklaces on display caught my wandering eye, in that moment, I knew I needed to come back and buy it. Once I had money that was.

Before I could ask about the price, Vanessa moved on. The witch glanced at her list, "hmm, there's some rare ingredients on this list. Why the Captain needs these is anyone's guess. He's not exactly an alchemist…" She mumbled absentmindedly, more to herself than to me. "Good thing the apothecary is nearby."

As we walked forward, a strangely high pitched voice rang besides me. "Hello dearie, would you like to try your hand? Luck might be on your side." An old lady that sat behind a small stand swept her arms over her table, a deck of cards sat on it next to a modest pile of gold. Something about the way she looked at me compelled me to walk closer. Besides, I was a little curious.

I didn't know any card games, I had seen the guards play with some during their long shifts, but those were things I wasn't invited to. _Not that I ever wanted to join those drunkards._

As I moved nearer, Vanessa's hand caught my wrist. When she looked up from her list, I wasn't sure. She shook her head. "I don't know if that's a good idea. The old lady can see into the future and more people than I can count have spent all their yul." _oh._

I was touched that Vanessa was looking out for me. I smiled at her, "thank you for the warning, but I was really only going to ask about the cards. I don't have any money, so you don't need to worry about me losing it."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and it occurred to me that Vanessa _didn't know_. Yami had told me that the situation had been explained, so obviously as Captain, Yami was privy to all the details. Vanessa was most likely not. As much as I liked the witch, she didn't _know_ anything.

She was nice to me now, but would that change if she knew my previous alignment to the Diamond Kingdom. It was surprisingly, I had just arrived at Clover Kingdom and already, everyone was showing my so much kindness.

"Play a round, on the house! Who knows, luck may be on your side." The old lady trilled, beckoning me to get closer. I looked over at Vanessa and shrugged. It couldn't hurt, there was nothing to lose and I wasn't particularly concerned with winning. I pulled put a stool and sat down, gingerly laying Julius's robe over my lap. "Nice robe you have there." The old lady caught my eye with a gleam of her own as she gestured towards my lap.

I resisted the urge to flush and shook my head. "Thank you, but it's not mine. I'm just holding onto it for a frien- _someone_." I corrected myself quickly. Was Julius a friend? It seemed inappropriate to refer to him as such, he was the _Wizard King._ Did the Wizard King even have friends? If he did, I felt that I did not fit into the mold. _He probably hangs out with super strong and cool magic knights._ I had no idea what really even constituted as a friendship.

Still, at the thought of him, my heart beat a little bit faster.

My eyes stared at the cards, desperately hoping to take the heat off me. "I've never played any card games. Are you sure it's okay if I play?"

The old lady nodded briskly, "of _course_ , dearie. There's no time like the present, we'll play a very simple card game." I could feel Vanessa hovering, uncertain. She no doubt had other more important things to do than babysit me while I played a card game. I twisted at my waist to look at her.

"Vanessa, if there's something you need to do, you can do it. You don't have to wait for me here. I'll be fine."

"I can't just leave you here alone!" Vanessa argued.

"It's okay, _really_."

She bit her lip, "are you sure?"

I waved her off, "yeah, I'm just playing a game. I'll wait for you here." I didn't need to add that I could take care of myself in a pinch. I loathed fighting but I wasn't valuable to the Diamond Kingdom for no reason. I had a few tricks up my sleeves. Vanessa could understand the unsaid words. She hesitated, before nodding slowly.

"Okay, if you're _sure_ , I need to run into the apothecary over there." She pointed down the street to a shabby, grey building. "I'll only be a few minutes. If anything happens in that time, I give you permission as a Magic Knight to defend yourself." She looked at my shocked face. _Just what does she think is going to happen in ten minutes?_ "Or just scream. Okay, _byeee~"_

I turned back to the old lady. "Sorry about that. I felt bad having her stand there and watch me when she could be doing something she needs to do."

She hummed, "not to worry dear, this'll only take a few minutes." She picked up the deck of cards and began shuffling it. "There's many, many different games one can play with cards. The one we'll be doing is very simple and everyone you meet will have knowledge in it."

"Oh?" She explained the game to me. It seems simple enough, all I had to do was get as close to the number without going over and getting a higher number than her. Easy right? Her hand grabbed a stack of coins and set them down on the center of the table. I recalled Vanessa's earlier statement. "Can you really see into the future?" I blurted out before I could help myself.

The old lady merely hummed. She then placed two cards in front of me. "Whenever you're ready dear." I stared at my cards before carefully picking them up. My eyebrows shot up and I looked back at my cards, talk about beginner's luck. I turned them over to show the old lady.

"Look at that! You managed to draw the number." She grinned and slid the stack of coins towards me.

"I won?" I gaped at the stack, scarcely believing it was real.

"Would you like to play again?" I was truthfully fine with what I had, not expecting to win. But she asked so _nicely_ and it was fun. Vanessa wasn't back from the shop, so there was no harm in continuing.

"Okay." She smiled again and picked up _two_ stacks of coins and dropped them, before shuffling the cards again.

"Double or nothing." _Oh, I get it._ I picked my stack up and added them to the center. It wasn't really my money to begin with, so I had no qualms about potentially losing it. She handed me my cards again. Once more, I was surprised when my cards beat hers.

For the next seven rounds, my cards won over hers every time. My stack grew in size but the old lady wasn't bothered by the dwindling coins on her side. In fact, she seemed almost gleeful to hand it over. But that was crazy.

Sooner rather than later the woman clapped her hands together. "Well that's it, you've completely cleared me out!" She said cheerfully. I blinked at her, not understanding her joy.

Guilt gnawed at me as the older woman began to clear up her display. My hand rushed out to grab her wrist, "stop!" I nearly shouted, immediately dropping it when she looked at me in shock. "Sorry," I mumbled. "I don't feel right about taking all your money. Please," I slid the stacks back across to her side, "take it back. Consider it payment for teaching me a card game."

She chuckled to my surprise, "oh no, you won that fair and square. It's your yul now." _She hadn't won a single round_ , how was that fair?

I shook my head, "it was obviously a fluke, at least let me give you half." The little woman pursed her lips, as if considering my offer. She hummed again and dropped to the ground. My eyes widened in shock. _Oooooh no! I killed her!_ I jumped over the booth and went to where the old lady had fallen. "Are you okay?"

There was no one there.

I frowned, checking under the tablecloth. There was no way an old lady like that just _vanished._ It was impossible. Yet, as I got on my knees and looked around, the only sign of her was the money she had left me.

"You good?" I turned my head at the sound of my name. Vanessa was walking towards me, a new bag at her side. She had stopped, seeing me on all fours, concern on her face.

I reddened, this looked bad. I quickly raced to my feet and dusted my knees off. "Yes. I mean, I think?"

Vanessa was now a few feet away from me. "What do you mean, you 'think'?

I hurried to explain the situation to her. I told about the game, my winnings, and the old lady falling and disappearing. "What do I do?" She put her hand in front of her in a stopping motion.

"Wait, you actually _won_ against the old bat?"

I nodded quickly. "I won every round. I cleared her out and I feel so _bad_ about it!" Thanks to me, the sweet old lady was going to _starve_ or lose her house. I never should have sat down.

"Don't." I stared at her wildly. "Take it from me, in all the years that I've been coming here, and it's been _years,_ I've never once seen that old lady lose. Every time, without a doubt, she wipes out anyone who sits there. The fact that you managed to win is an accomplishment on its own. Enjoy it."

"Yes bu-"

"Didn't you say you had no money? Now you do. I'm sure there's _something_ you want." I closed my mouth, mulling over her words. I did need the money and there was no guarantee when I would get more. I bit my lip, my eyes flitting to the vacant booth. If what she said was true, it wouldn't hurt to keep the yul, right?

I finally nodded, "Now that you mention it…" I felt suddenly bashful about making requests. After what I had been through, I deserve something nice for myself. "There was this shop we passed earlier. They had some jewelry?"

Vanessa tapped her chin in thought. "What kind of jewelry did you have in mind? Something magical, I assume? Noelle went down that route to find an item that would help with her magic control. The enchanted stuff is usually really clunky and expensive though."

I shook my head. Magical jewelry was nice and all but I had more vain reasons for wanting jewelry. I wanted a new necklace. "No, I just wanted a new accessory. Nothing special."

*******

We ended up heading back to the of the shop I spotted earlier. The vendor was another female closer in age to Vanessa and I. As we went closer, my heart leapt at the sight of the jewelry.

Immediately, my eyes zoned in one the necklace I saw, my fingers ran over the cool metal before I could help myself. "See anything you like?" I jumped a little at the sound of the vendor greeting me. I smiled awkwardly at the approaching woman.

I nodded a little quickly. "I wanted to inquire about this necklace…" For no reason, I felt a little odd about asking. The vendor glanced at the necklace in my hands, her eyebrows raised slightly.

" _That_ one? It's a little _unique_ compared to my other necklaces. If you'd like I could show you something flashier?" She moved to show me her other items.

"No, I'd like this one, please. I think it's lovely." The vendor nodded before naming a price. I happily handed over the yul and accepted my new accessory. The necklace wasn't very pricey, the vendor told me the thing had sat there for ages, so she was happy to part with it.

I certainly had enough yul left over to see a tailor about my cloak. I decided I would save the rest, it was the most prudent thing to do.

My companion was waiting for me a few feet away. I skipped to her side and she laughed at my cheery disposition. "You're in a good mood. Find what you were looking for?"

"Yes!" I eagerly shared my new purchase with the pink haired witch.

"Ha! I told you shopping is the cure for everything." Vanessa stuck her tongue out at me playfully. "The good news is, I've got everything on the list and a little extra." She raised her arms slightly, showing me the bags full of items she bought. There had to be at least twelve full bags lined on her arms.

I slid my arm through the bags she had on her left arm and took them. She looked at me, puzzled. "Here, it's only right that I help with the bags. You have a ton of stuff. It's got to be heavy." I explained.

"You, know, for a Diamond mage, you sure are nice." _oh,_ so she _did_ know. I gave her a panicked look and she brushed off my concern. "Don't worry, I was teasing! I'm sure there's plenty of nice Diamond mages."

"Nah, they're all pretty much jerks if you ask me. Why else do you think I couldn't wait to leave?" Vanessa's mouth opened before she laughed loudly, nearly hitting me with the bags that were swinging with her laughter.

"You're a little sassy, I like that. I got you a few things but that's for later. C'mon, we should go meet back up with Finral. It'll take at least twenty minutes to find that little flirt, let's get out of here." I hummed in agreement and we made our way out of the Black Market.

I was glad to leave, as soon as we stepped out, the tension in the air evaporated and I felt more at ease. The Market was interesting and full of magical items, but I still felt a little uneasy, almost instinctively. I looked over to the woman next to me, to gauge if she felt the same weight lifted.

Vanessa was staring longingly at what appeared to be a liquor shop. I only noticed because she stopped walking and I nearly bumped into her. "Sorry girl! I haven't had a drink in _hours_." I didn't point out that it had only been about forty minutes since I last saw her drink.

Before I could counter her, my eyes drifted towards the shop next to it, a bakery. My stomach twitched, breakfast seemed like a dream, the sweet aroma was tantalizing. I _did_ have some leftover money from the necklace. I could...indulge. "How about this, you go get a drink and I'll head next door and get a treat. We can meet outside." This time, Vanessa easily agreed.

I walked in the bakery, the aroma from outside was not just for show. Beautiful pastries and cakes were in sight, my mouth watered.

I quickly picked out two pastries, purchased them, and waited outside the shop for Vanessa. As I stood waiting, I unwrapped my treat and thoughtfully bit into it. I felt a hand tap my shoulder and I jumped up in the air, letting out a yelp at the sudden contact.

I twirled around, unsure of what I would find. I immediately relaxed when I saw it was just Finral. His eyes were wide, no doubt at my reaction. "Finral! You scared me!"

"Sorry! I saw you standing here and I thought you were lost or something." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

I smiled at Finral and showed him my ticket and bags. "Thank you for the concern, but I'm waiting for Vanessa, she's next door. Actually, we were going to go look for you. Here." I offered him the other pastry I had purchased. "I don't know if you like these, but they looked yummy."

"Really?" He hesitated, eyeing the small cake in my hand. I nodded, extending my arm further. "Thank you." Finral took the offered treat with a small blush.

"Finral! There you _hic-_ are! We was just gonna go look for ya." Vanessa's obviously drunk speech came from the bar. She was walking over to us, swaying a little more than usual. _She said she was going for a drink, as in singular. Something tells me that's not what happened._

Finral crossed his arms, obviously displeased at her. "Vanessa, why'd you leave her here by herself? Did you forget Captain Yami said to watch out for her, he's gonna _kill_ us! Do you _want_ to die?" He was really getting worked up over this. It was a total 180 from his flirty disposition.

Vanessa must have thought the same thing because she waved him off. "Oh c'mon, it was one drink," I raised my eyebrows, "okay, _five_ drinks. It's not my fault men keep buying me drinks!"

"You don't have to drink them!" Finral's voice was going to shatter glass if he wasn't careful.

" _Besides,_ she's fine. Can't say the same about us once the sun sets and we're not _baaack._ " Vanessa sang. Finral abruptly stopped scolding her, his eye twitching.

We arrived back at Base a few seconds later.

As soon as I stepped through Finral's portal, I felt tired. All the running around had really worn me out. I dropped the bags onto the ground ungracefully and sighed loudly. Relief flooded my arms. I stretched my back and only then noticed all the new faces.

There were more Black Bulls than I thought.

Closest to me was a young man playing with what seemed to be a ball of fire. He was tossing it up in the air and catching it, as if it was a regular pastime. "Hello." I greeted, not knowing what else to do.

He looked up at me, his fireball extinguishing. "Who the hell are _you?_ "

I blinked. Well that wasn't the response I was expecting. "Oh, I'm-" a jet of water doused the mage. I looked over my shoulder for the attacker. Noelle stood a few feet away, her hand gripping a wand.

The water dripped off the man's face, "What the hell was that for?" He roared at the girl.

She scowled, no fear or regret on her face. "Watch your tone, you can't talk like that around royalty!" Magna looked like he was going to argue and another water jet doused him. "Honestly, haven't you heard a word Captain Yami said? We're supposed to protect her!" I didn't question how she was aware of the situation. Yami must have given the squad a rundown while we were at the market.

Noelle gestured towards me, the young man blinked, the water evaporating from his body. "Hi?" I tried again.

I watched as he stood up and came close to me, a smile cracking on his face."Well, why didn't you say so? I'm Magna, best fire mage in the entire country!" He patted my back roughly. _Honestly did no one here understand personal space?_

"Agh! What are you _wearing_?" Magna and I turned to where Noelle was. I was surprised to see a flush on her face, I followed her eye line, Asta had just entered the room, and he was shirtless. _Oh? Noelle certainly seems flustered._ The young boy definitely had more muscle mass than I expected and it was obvious Noelle agreed.

To his credit, Asta seemed completely unaware of the reaction he was drawing out of Noelle. "Hey guys, what up?" He came close to stand near us, Noelle letting out a loud scream and started sputtering.

She stomped off into another part of the base, leaving the three of us to exchange looks. Well, that was weird. Asta shrugged his shoulders and faced me.

"Hi, I'm Asta, and that was Noelle. Sorry about her, she gets weird sometimes." I smiled at the blond boy's explanation. "I'm gonna be the Wizard King someday!" My eyebrows shot up, Yami was right, he certainly was exuberant and a little clueless, but it was sort of sweet?

"Nice to meet you Asta."

"Hey little Rasta, you meet our guest yet?" Magna ruffled Asta's hair roughly as he interrupted. "She's a real looker, but keep your hands to yourself! Captain's orders!" I blushed at his description of me. _What orders?_

"Actually we were just meeting right now." I smiled politely. _He literally is standing right next to us, he saw us introduce ourselves._

Magna opened his mouth to say something but we were interrupted again, this time by a loud yell.

"Fight me Magna!" We both turned and saw a blond man with lighting sparked at his hands, ready to jump the other man. He lept through the air. Time seemed to slow for me as I reacted immediately. Magna wasn't ready for a real attack, and that boy looked dead serious, there was a smile on his face but his mana levels were dangerous. _He could get hurt!_

I had no time to think, acting on a long forgotten thread of instinct.

I raised my arms subtly and quickly drew them down, the sound of my grimoire crackled to life, the young man still made contact with Magna, his lighting crackled. However, as I could feel inside me, the all too familiar swirl of foreign mana burned at me, his attack had very little magic behind it. I sighed, the threat was avoided. Even if I felt like puking. My chest burned from the tightness, I needed to get rid of this excess mana.

I forgot how much doing this _hurt_.

Then I froze as I heard the exchange between the two.

"Geez that was it? Wow Luck, that was not what I call your best." Magna was teasing the other man. Luck, was that his name? "What happened to coming at me with full power?" He said mockingly.

"I don't know what happened! I _did_ go at you at full power like you said but it was like it disappeared when I went to hit you." _Oh. So he's a Black Bull. Why do I always jump to the wrong conclusions?_ Now that I thought about it, none of the other Bulls looked alarmed in the slightest at the scuffle.

"Hey Luck are you alright?" Magna sounded worried and I ran over to where the two were. Luck was sitting on the ground and he looked very tired.

"I'm just really drained. Like I could sleep for days~." My guilt was rubbing at me again. Hoping no one would notice I let out a breath and was glad to pour the burning mana back into Luck's body.

I slowly pushed out the tendrils of mana, trying to shove them under the ground so no one could see. After a few seconds of that, I found the rest of his mana and pushed it back towards him. My body immediately relaxed, the painful burning sensation now gone.

"What was the hell that?" I turned slowly and met the eyes of the Captain. I gulped and smiled placidly. _When did he get up?_

"What do you mean?"

He scowled at me and I shivered at how scary he could be. "Don't play dumb with me. I sensed Luck's magic power almost completely vanish and then be restored a few moments later. Your own magic power increased drastically in between that time." I was shocked. This man was more observant than I thought, as neither Luck nor Magna had noticed much. It had all happened in a few seconds.

"It was an accident I swear!" I rushed to say, "I didn't know Luck was a Black Bull or I wouldn't have done it. Honestly, I thought he was going to attack Magna for real. I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

"Wouldn't have done _what_?"

I hesitated. Should I tell him? It was basically the reason why I hesitated to even use my magic in the first place. I may have not been good on offensive spells, but this was my ace in the hole. Yami glared at me, urging me to go on. "It's a spell I have. As Julius knows, my attribute is mana, with that, one of the things I can do is remove anyone's magic power and it store in my body. It's my mana draining spell, I can control the amount of mana I take and then adds to my own power. I only took enough to disable the attack. Luck has a lot of mana though, more than I thought and it makes it pretty painful."

There was only so much magic power my body could hold. If I tried to take Yami's or Julius's magic my body would be torn to shreds.

"Remove it, huh?"

"Well, it's not permanent. I only take the magic available in that moment, your mana levels constantly replenish themselves. I gave Luck his magic back. I only did it so his attack wouldn't be harmful. I'm truly sorry! I wouldn't have done it if I had known! I just reacted!"

I held Yami's stare as he processed my words. I could do nothing but hope to convince him. Finally after what felt like hours, he let up. "I get it, you thought someone was in danger so you tried to help out. I can respect that. But, as Magic Knights, these guys are meant to withstand much larger attacks. Save yourself the effort next time and let them be next time."

There was going to be a next time? I would live?

"Who else knows about that particular skill you have?" Yami questioned me. And I was all too eager to answer.

"Well, the Diamond Kingdom knows for sure. Other than that, it's been a pretty well kept secret." Yami merely nodded as he seemed lost in thought.

"Does Julius know?"

I paused before answering, tucking my hair behind my ear. "Not quite. Um, we haven't really had a chance to go over everything yet. He seems like a busy man."

"Yeah, that he is." As we fell quiet, I took a seat and looked around the room. Vanessa had disappeared, no doubt to find another drink. It was awkward sitting here in silence with the Captain. I hadn't seen Finral since we arrived but at this point, anyone's company would be better.

The minutes ticked by and the only sound was Yami's newspaper turning. Obviously, he wasn't interested in conversation. I sighed. Well, this was boring. I tapped my fingers on my legs, trying to drive away my boredom.

"Are you just going to keep doing that?" I looked up sharply, Yami had put down his newspaper and was glaring at me in irritation. I stared at him blankly. "Look, I like reading in peace. If you're bored, why don't you go outside? From what Julius told me, you don't really get out much."

_Understatement of the year._ He was right, I was used to being indoors and now that the option of going outside was available, I began to feel excited. Why I hadn't thought of that before, I didn't know. "Outside?" I repeated.

" _Yes._ " Yami picked up his newspaper again, ending the conversation. I sat for a few moments before scurrying to my feet and walking out the front door.

As the fresh air hit me I took a deep breath.

The sun was a little low in the sky, I started to feel restless. Yami mentioned sundown earlier, so it was bound to be important. I liked the Bulls well enough, but all I really wanted to do was get some sleep. I was surprisingly tired, probably from all the events I had today.

I went closer to the roses that lined the wall, no doubt they belonged to Vanessa. My fingers reached out to touch a velvet petal, slightly creasing it between my fingers. I felt a sudden longing for a garden. I used to garden years ago with my mother. I hated the dirt and the bugs and gardening in general. However, now I wanted a full, lush, blooming garden as far as the eye could see.

I wanted my mother to see my flourishing garden. That would require her to be alive, such things were impossible.

I chuckled at my own wishfulness, dropping the rose when I felt a presence. I tore my body from the flowers and turned, squinting through the bright, setting sun.

I could make out a figure on the hill nearby, the bright glow encasing them, making it impossible to see who it was. I quickly took a scan of its mana levels, one read and I knew who it was.

I could scarcely believe it, my heart skipped a beat and began thumping at a faster tempo. I cautiously waved at the figure. I had been waiting for this all day. Before I could blink again, Julius stood in front of me. _How does he do that?_

"Ah, waiting for me, were you?" He said teasingly, a wide smile on his face.

I stared at him for a moment, suddenly feeling unsure of what to say. I felt silly. "Hi Julius." I managed to spit out bashfully.

His eyes slowly swept over my body, it was a warm day, as soon as I arrived at the market, I had peeled off my cloak, leaving me in just the clothes I wore underneath. I felt my ears heat up as I tore my gaze from him. _I'm just imagining things._

"Nice day isn't it?" He looked over my shoulder, to the base. "I hope the Bulls weren't too rough on you."

I shook my head quickly, "they were so nice! A little rough around the edges but I had a really nice time. Vanessa and Finral took me to a market!" I gushed, suddenly excited to tell him about my day.

"Oh?"

"Finral uses spatial magic, which is just the _coolest_ and he took us to Kikka." I wondered if I should mention we went into the Black Market. _No, probably not. He's the Wizard King after all. Surely he wouldn't be okay with us breaking the law._

I knew I looked ridiculous, I was waving my hands in the air as I spoke, the excitement rolling off of me. "Finral Roulacase right?" He explained himself casually, but I could swear I detected a tone of envy in his voice. "Hmm, his spatial magic is something else. I'm more familiar with his brother Langris, he too uses spatial magic, though offensively."

_Ridiculous. See? He's just fascinated by the magic. I'm imagining things._

"Hey, you alive over there? I'd be in trouble if you died." We both turned, Yami's head stuck out the front door, searching for me. His eyes spotted the both of us, his eyebrows raising minutely. "Oh, hey there Julius, didn't see ya there." He greeted.

Julius waved, "Yami. Nice to see you." He started walking closer and I followed behind. "You were on your best behavior, weren't you?"

Yami narrowed his eyes, "just what do you take me for? My squad was nothing but perfect." I could smell the faint aroma of alcohol coming off the giant man. _Is everyone here an alcoholic?_

Julius laughed deeply then turned to me. "Would you like to gather your things while I speak to Yami? We'll head back to the castle after that." I nodded eagerly. The thought of relaxing appealed to me. Without a second thought to what Julius and Yami would discuss, I headed inside the base to pick up my things.

I spotted Vanessa lying on the couch, a bottle in each hand. The bags from the market were scattered around her. She was also pretty much naked, except for her underthings. I was a little aghast at her lack of modesty, especially in front of so many men. _No, this is her home. She should be comfortable. Honestly it's admirable that she can feel so at peace. The alcohol probably helps too._

I smiled to myself and bent to grab my things. Her head perked up and she spotted me. "Hey there! I thought I lost yah." She threw her legs to the side and tried to get up, her wobbly legs immediately giving out and she plopped back down. She looked over my posture, "are you leaving already?"

It tugged at my heartstrings how sad she sounded. Like a kicked puppy. "Yes, Julius is here talking to Captain Yami. I'm just getting my things."

"Where are you staying?" She sounded concerned. "You have a place to stay, right? If not, I can always convince the Captain-"

I laughed her off, "don't worry, I'm staying at the castle! I have my own room and everything."

Her eyes popped open, "you're staying at the castle? Boy, aren't you lucky?" After a lifetime of bad luck, eventually my karma had to turn. "I won't keep you but I want you to have this." Vanessa said, sounding much more sober as she rummaged through one of the bags. She quickly found what she was looking for and gestured for me to get closer.

I felt something cool and heavy press into my palm. There was a circular item, much like my compass. It was bronze and smooth. Confused, I looked at Vanessa, "what's this?"

"It's a communication device. If you ever need someone to talk to or get a drink with, call me. I have one too." My bottom lip wobbled slightly. She said it casually, like it was nothing. This was so kind, for her to extend friendship to a total stranger like was touching. "Oh, don't tell me you're going to cry! It's not a big deal." Vanessa waved her hands trying to soothe me.

The thing is, when you tell someone not to cry, the obvious reaction is to do that. Of course the words just set off the tears. Water welled in my eyes, threatening to spill. _Don't cry, don't cry._ "I'm sorry!" I whimpered, "it's just, this is so nice of you! Thank you!" Vanessa gaped at me before swinging her arms around me in a hug.

I froze for a second before slowly returning the hug. This was my first real hug in _years_ and it felt so warm and comforting, that it set off another wave of tears."Aren't you just the sweetest! We're going to be great friends, I can tell!" _Me too._ It had been a while since I came to get my things, I hoped Julius wasn't waiting for me.

I slipped the communication device in one my pants pocket. "I'm leaving now, goodbye!" I said brightly, though I still sniffled. Vanessa waved before collapsing back on the couch, lifting the bottle to her lips.

"Why are you crying?" I blinked at the concern on Julius face as I walked through the front door to where he was with Yami. Julius moved over to me, hands on my shoulders as he examined me, searching for any injuries.

Yami just rolled his eyes, "which one of my idiots made you cry?"

I hardly heard him however, as I was trying very hard not to blush under Julius's scrutiny. "I-I'm fine!" Julius's grey eyes narrowed, I didn't even convince myself. I tried again. "I swear! I just cry a lot and Vanessa and everyone was being so nice to me that I just got overwhelmed. I'm more than okay."

This time I heard when Yami snorted, then burst out laughing. I shot him a glare, how dare he make fun of my tender heart? Where there _tears_ in his eyes? _What a hypocrite._ "Looks like you got yourself a crybaby. Good luck!" He said to Julius.

I pouted a little but then remembered what I had in one of my bags. I pulled out the robe, smoothing out any creases and tugged on Julius's sleeve. His eyes turned towards me. "I have your robe, I'm sorry for holding onto it but I didn't know where to leave it!"

I held out the item and Julius smiled, the corner of his eyes crinkling. _Okay, that's adorable._ "Ah that old thing." He teased, reflecting the words I had spoken before. "Thank you for taking such good care of it." He took his robe from my hands and pulled it over himself.

Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped forward to smooth the robe over him, fixing the fur. I ran my fingers through the soft material and over his shoulders, not noticing the thick silence until after I finished and stepped back to admire my work. I saw Yami's dropped mouth, the slow realization settled in me. I dared to take a look at Julius's face.

He didn't seem angry or even shocked, instead, there was a strange smile on his face, his eyes glinting again. He hummed, "thank you." A bright flush inevitably blossomed on my face. Julius took note of the two bags I carried. "I see you bought some things, did you enjoy yourself?"

I nodded, "I really did."

He held out his arm for me to take, "Why don't you tell me more about it at dinner?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this was super fun to write and I had a ball the whole time. As always, thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read my burning inferno of trash. It's a whopper of a chapter, even by my standards, so yeah. Remember to recycle, sorry, my brain is shorting cause its like three am and I'm posting this.
> 
> Love you all!


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Invitations to events bode unexpected interactions

_**Black Clover** _

**IV**

*******

_I held out the item and Julius smiled, the corner of his eyes crinkling._ Okay, that's adorable _. "Ah that old thing." He teased, reflecting the words I had spoken before. "Thank you for taking such good care of it." He took his robe from my hands and pulled it over himself._

_Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped forward to smooth the robe over him, fixing the fur. I ran my fingers through the soft material and over his shoulders, not noticing the thick silence until after I finished and stepped back to admire my work. I saw Yami's dropped mouth, the slow realization settled in me. I dared to take a look at Julius's face._

_He didn't seem angry or even shocked, instead, there was a strange smile on his face, his eyes glinting again. He hummed, "thank you." A bright flush inevitably blossomed on my face. Julius took note of the two bags I carried. "I see you bought some things, did you enjoy yourself?"_

_I nodded, "I really did."_

_He held out his arm for me to take, "Why don't you tell me more about it at dinner?"_

As soon as my hand wrapped around his arm, he tugged me closer and the world we were in melted away. Before I could blink, we were back at the castle. I took me a moment to process the change in the environment and it reflected on my face, confusion evident. _That must have been how Julius had brought me to the Clover Kingdom originally. I kind of wonder how it works..._

It happened in an instant, I wondered what Yami must have thought, us vanishing in the blink of an eye, _the look on his face must be priceless_. I felt a little rude for not saying goodbye, but the thought was pushed to the back of mind as I belatedly realized I was still holding on to Julius's arm.

I quickly let go of him and stepped away a little, flushed. His presence was too distracting for my own good. Julius turned to me, a gentle smile on his face. "Would you like to freshen up? Dinner won't be ready for a few more minutes, I'm afraid." Nothing seemed amiss by that statement, yet it raised warning flags and a slight settling of unease. For his face was perfectly normal, Julius seemed almost _tense._

Perhaps I was reading too much into it. Besides, it would be nice to set my things down and relax a little. My feet were aching a bit from my trip out and I felt a little sweaty. "Best idea I've heard all day." My lips pulled up a little. After all this running around, it would be nice to even just wash my hands.

"Excellent, I'll walk you." A small flurry of excitement unfurled in my stomach at the sound of those simple words. I wanted to ask how Julius knew where my room was but just as quickly brushed the idea away, he _lived_ here. It only made sense he would know where his guests were staying. "Here," Julius took the two bags that I was holding, "I'll carry these for you."

"You don't have to!"

He smiled charmingly, "I want to." I figured it was useless to argue, besides, it was a very nice gesture. Maybe I _was_ reading too much into it, I always had a nervous constitution, always dreading and expecting the worst.

Then again, maybe not. We walked in silence, I suddenly felt nervous being alone again with Julius. Though I was silent out of nerves, he wasn't initiating conversation either. Curious, I stole a glance. The Wizard King's face was furrowed, as if something was troubling him. _Aha! I was right. But what could be bothering him? What did Yami say to him?_

As my door came into view, Julius stopped and turned towards me, a thoughtful look now on his face. "Here we are. I'll give you some time to unpack your new purchases. They didn't look it, but these bags are heavier than I thought." He chuckled. His joke didn't dissipate the tense environment I was feeling.

However, I obliged and laughed a little before I nodded, "Thank you." I took my bags back from him, opening my door. "Er, I'll see you soon?" I suddenly felt very awkward standing in my doorway. Thankfully, he didn't draw it out, waving happily and leaving with a swish of his robe.

 _I wonder what that was all about. Hopefully it wasn't because of what happened back at the Black Bulls' base._ I sighed, my back against the door, I would find out at dinner the consequences of my actions.

I was alone for the first time since this morning. Now that I was, I felt the heavy cloud that loomed over my shoulder the entire day, it had just been harder to notice with all the hurry and fuss. However, I recognized that this was no time to reminisce about today's events, that would undoubtedly take place much later in the day, when I was alone and everyone slept. Not now, when in thirty minutes Julius would come back.

 _Ah, Julius._ Now that I was alone, I didn't try to fight the blush that spread when I thought of the Wizard King. He had been in the back of my mind all day as well.

I had only really met the man and I yet had to really find out anything about him. There was something though, he was captivating in a way I had never experienced. True, I had limited contact with others during the six years I spent locked up in a corner of the Diamond castle, but that wasn't always the case.

I was thrown off by his kindness and how he chose to help me. _He's also handsome, so handsome._ I sighed again, my first day away from the Diamond Kingdom and I already developed an infatuation for the military leader of the Clover Kingdom. I hated that about myself, all my life, whatever I felt, I felt strongly. My emotions tended to rule me and they were as fickle as the winds. It was a weakness in my eyes, the fact that my _feelings_ were so intense. This was no different.

 _Now is not the time for this, I can figure out my feelings later, not when I'm about to have dinner with the Wizard King._ I pushed off from the door to my bed, dropping my two bags on the soft fabric. Julius's joke might have fallen flat, but they were slightly heavier than I remembered. I reached for them and then hesitated. Instead, reminded by the stickiness I felt, I slipped out of my clothes and walked over to the adjoining bathroom I just remembered my room had.

To my everlasting glee, it was gorgeous and inlaid with marble and fully stocked. A large, square tub sat in the far corner but I went for the separate shower. The water turned on as soon as I stepped in, the water the perfect temperature instantly. It was pleasant but nothing compared to a nice, long bath but I needed something quick and baths were decidedly not quick. I made up my mind to take one tomorrow.

I wrapped a towel around me and stepped out when I finished. Another wrapped around my hair and I quickly moved to dry it, praying it would be dry in time. Meanwhile, I let it loose and headed to my bed, plopping down on the soft comforter. I reached for the bags holding my new items.

I hummed a made up tune as I pulled my cloak out of the first one, shaking out the fabric and laying it on my bed. I pursed my lips as I eyed the diamond stitched into my precious cloak, perhaps Vanessa knew of a decent tailor. I hadn't the time to stop by a tailor to get the emblem removed. Once, I had been proud to wear that, not now, not ever again.

Next, I eagerly but gently unwrapped my purchase. I held the delicate chain in the air, appraising it. The vendor had tried to persuade me to try something else but I knew I wanted this one, I wasn't sure what drew me to this necklace in particular. It had a long, thin, silver chain that ended in an hourglass pendant. The only flashy part of it was the strip of amethysts it had around its center.

I slipped the necklace over me and admired my accessory. It felt heavy against my skin, odd for such a delicate thing. Did it have some hidden enchantment I was unaware of? I focused on it and sure enough felt some mana coming off it. _Is that why I was so taken with it?_ It was impossible for me to tell if there was an enchantment or something else. I shrugged it off, I doubted it was dangerous, and I would find out with time what hidden abilities it may or may not have.

I dug through the rest of my new possessions, Vanessa wasn't lying when she said she put in a few extra things for me. There were a few trinkets that had small mana levels projecting from them complete with notes explaining whatever it was, a handful of sweets, a map of the country, and a few other knick knacks _._ My hand dug deeper and I gasped as I pulled out a blue dress. "I didn't buy _that_!" I pulled it out completely, it appeared to be in my size and the fabric was light. It was gorgeous, it had to be an accident, there was no way this was mine.

The bags had to be switched. I narrowed my eyes, Vanessa _mentioned_ that she had slipped me some items, but I was expecting sweets or something along the lines. A slip of paper fluttered from the dress to my bed, I quickly picked it up and scanned the contents.

_Hey girl,_

_I'm not one to break tradition._

_xoxox,_

_Vanessa_

_P.s. It should be your size, I have a knack for these kinds of things._

I was certain that the witch had been drunk for most of our encounter, but she had recalled a little tidbit of my past that I shared with her. It was incredibly touching, Vanessa genuinely possessed a golden heart. The fact that she considered me a friend already warmed me and it occurred to me, she was the first real friend I ever had. I would use the communication device more often than not.

I felt the urge to cry once more. _No wonder my bags seemed so much heavier._

_Don't sniffle._

I held up the item once more, contemplating, before standing and letting the towel drop. Something that beautiful had to be showcased. _Wearing it to dinner would be the best way to honor Vanessa's generosity._ I slipped the dress over my shoulders, admiring how the material all fell right into place. I shook my head, letting my mostly dry hair tumble down.

I paced over to the mirror in my room, taking in my image in its new clothing. The dress would compliment my brown boots, and it clung to my curves. It wasn't anything scandalous, which was surprising taking in Vanessa's skimpy sense of style. _It's perfect._

I eyed my cloak, lying on my bed. I gave it a second thought before shaking my head, for some reason it felt warmer in the castle, I would be sweltering in the heavy material and warming enchantments. There was no need to hide such pretty fabric with it.

A soft knock on the door startled me and interrupted my musings. Was it already time for dinner?

I pushed all sentimental feelings and tried not to be alarmed on how giddy I felt as I moved to open the door, swinging it open with gusto and surprising the poor boy on the other side. I felt my heart sink a little as I stared at the shocked male. He came to his senses much faster than I did, quickly gearing into service. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm to escort you to the dining room."

The disappointment on my face must have been visible.

I cringed slightly at my behavior and shook my head, attempting an apologetic smile. "No need to apologize, I was just surprised. Of course, lead on." He gave me a curt nod and began leading me through the empty halls.

The silence gave me the opportunity to look around the halls as we went through. Everything was done up in lavish decorations of course, with high ceilings and marble walls. For as huge and open as the castle was, I felt not a single presence. There were high levels of mana all around but I had yet to see a single person.

It came across as terribly lonely.

After a very quiet and awkward trip, my guide stopped, pulled open the double doors, and bowed, leaving me to walk in alone. I watched as he turned a corner and vanished from my sight. I shrugged, my hunger was persistent enough that I did as he wanted with no hesitation.

My hunger was put aside in favor of my heart beating faster. Julius was already there, sitting near the end of a very long table. Other than him, it was completely empty. He noticed me, standing up to receive me. His gray eyes were fixed on me, taking in my new attire. A smile grew on his face as I tried not to fidget under his watch. "Dinner is just about ready, you-"

"Does anyone else actually live here?" I blurted out, my cheeks warm. I couldn't help myself, the thought had been nagging me all day and I would say anything to take the attention off my dress. Still, I realized my transgression and moved to apologize. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, it's just that I haven't seen another person here besides the workers." I bit my lip, feeling embarrassed at my rudeness.

The Wizard King merely waved it off with a chuckle. "I know what you mean, it can feel that way, I suppose." His gray eyes locked with mine and he gestured to the seat across from him. I gulped and sat down at the seat he pointed at. At this position, I was only a few feet away from him. _I think I would prefer if we sat end to end._

"To answer your question, the royal families lives here, along with the King of course. However, we all have own separate wings. They're fairly spacious and the castle is a massive place. Not to mention that the families are almost all entirely in the Magic Knights. Take the size of this place and they fact that some live on their squad's base, well, you could go days without seeing someone." Julius laughed.

"Oh, that makes sense, I actually thought this place was abandoned for a moment." I said sheepishly. That answered the burning question I had all day. There were a lot more people living here than I would expect. Hopefully I would get to meet some of the inhabitants. I took a sip of the cup nearest to me, letting the cool liquid calm my nerves. No food had been served yet, but by the smell, it was coming shortly.

"I'm sure over time you'll meet everyone. Now, how was your day? You seemed very _moved_ back at the Black Bulls' base." He was teasing me, I could tell. He was referring to my waterworks earlier. _How embarrassing._

My cheeks flamed and I scowled, "I had a wonderful time thank you very much." Doors to my right swung open, a line of people in white outfits began shuffling around the table, all carrying steaming dishes. _Ah, the food is here!_ I could feel the drool trying to escape my mouth all the smell.

One by one, they placed dish after dish of food, far too many for just the two of us. After each one was put down, they turned to stand at attention.

A bigger man, the only one with a chef's hat that billowy parted through the line, he was carrying a large, covered dish. He came to a stop at the edge of the table, in front of Julius and I. "I thank you for your patience, you see, masterpieces like these can not be rushed. I assure you however," he swept his arm dramatically over the room in a grand gesture, "that this will be the best meal your taste buds have ever had the pleasure to encounter." He placed the dish down, pulled off the top, and bowed deeply. "Enjoy."

He walked out backwards, still bowing and his people followed behind him.

_Weird._

"Quite the show isn't it?" Julius said out loud what I was thinking. He had his chin propped between his laced hands, an amused smile played at his lips.

I willed myself to hold his gaze. "It's something else, that's for sure." I said. "Does it happen often?"

"Every time."

The fact that that little 'ceremony' happened everything Julius ate was hilarious to me. No wonder he seemed eager to have breakfast prepared by himself. "Really? Every time you eat?"

"Ah yes, he even says that little part of it being the 'best meal your taste buds have ever encountered' at every dinner service." Julius stated as he began to serve himself some fish, gesturing for me to do the same.

"Is it true though? Is every meal better than the last?"

The silverware clinked as we ate, "Surprisingly, yes. I have no clue how he does it, but he never lets me down." I chewed thoughtfully, the food _was_ amazing, even before, when I was a child, I had never had anything this tasty. "Now, I didn't get to say earlier, but that's a lovely dress. You look very nice." His eyes held a glint of mischief as he waited for my reaction.

I felt the piece of meat I was eating lodge itself in my throat, nearly choking. I was not expecting Julius to compliment me, or even to be so direct with his words. I tried not to think too much of the meaning behind it, however, my cheeks flamed, a warm sensation spread throughout my body.

I was pleased. Secretly, I had hoped for some kind of acknowledgement on my wardrobe change, a small, vain part of me dared to hope that my little infatuation was not so impossible. I struggled to find my words, willing my beating heart to slow, for my cheeks to cool. "Thank you. Vanessa bought it for me at the market."

"That was very kind of her."

"She is, the whole squad is! Julius, they were so kind to me. I instantly felt welcomed. They're all a little rough around the edges, but their hearts are in the right place. Vanessa dragged me from shop to shop and bought me so many gifts. She even gave me a communication device, so we could keep in touch. I hope the two of us are going to be friends!" I started to feel excitement the more I spoke, suddenly eager to share my day with Julius.

"Kikka is such a nice place too, there were so many people shopping around. Finral left pretty much as soon as we got there. But, I felt safe with Vanessa, she isn't the type to stay still. We didn't stop at other shops so I hope I can go shopping again some other time." I sighed wistfully, smiling at Julius, thankful for his willingness to listen to me ramble on.

"I'm sure you will. Vanessa you say? I believe she's the witch that uses thread magic, a most interesting magic."

It was a little amazing how Julius seemed to know the magic of every citizen. "I think so, I didn't really get the chance to see it in action. Even in the Black Market, she didn't have to use it-" _oh crap, I wasn't supposed to mention the Black Market to Julius. The last thing I want is for Vanessa to get in trouble._

"Oh! But I'm sure you got to see other magic types! The Black Market is full of neat magic and magic enhancing tools." Was it me, or did Julius seem much more excited than I was? I had thought he would be disapproving of Magic Knights entering such an illegal place, but he seemed to be even _encouraging_ of it.

I cleared my throat, carefully choosing my words, in case I was misreading the mood. "I didn't get to see as much, Vanessa was very quick. I _did_ learn how to play a card game from an old lady."

"Oh?" Julius seemed much more interested now, adjusting to lean closer. "What game?"

My eyebrows scrunched up, "Blackjack? I think that's what she called it. It was the strangest thing. I kept winning over and over. I felt so bad." I muttered the last part under my breath, not wanting to mention how the old lady just keeled over and vanished in thin air.

Julius chuckled before passing me a slice of cake. Apparently, it was dessert time. I was full, but I had plenty of room for that little delicacy. I murmured my thanks before cutting it up and digging into it. "Seems like you've had quite the day."

"Yes, but I had fun." I agreed around the mouthful of cake I had bitten into. _I had fun._ Fun was such a strange concept. I truly enjoyed myself today. I swallowed carefully. "Thank you." I said sincerely. I wanted to convey how much this day meant to me. It was the first time I hadn't thought about the Diamond Kingdom and it was the first time I was free to choose.

Julius had made this day possible.

Still, it was impossible to remain melancholy when there was cake involved.

"I had a favor to ask of you, if you're willing that is." I looked up from my dessert, surprised. Julius had a favor to ask me? I met his slate eyes and nodded, after this day, I would do anything for him. "There's a little banquet tomorrow, nothing too over the top, it's a commemoration effort, the distinguished service ceremony, some of the strongest mages will be there. I'd like for you to join me."

My eyebrows shot up, a commemoration? I knew I wanted to meet more people, but this was something else entirely. _The strongest mages in the Kingdom? Should I even be there?_ "You want me to go?" I asked uncertainty. "Why?" I was curious to his reasoning. Why would anyone want a Diamond Mage to get involved in Clover matters? I doubt many would be accepting of my presence. My future remained uncertain, was it really wise to allow me to attend such functions?

"The Clover Kingdom has always been wary of foreigners and even its own common-folk. I think it's time we change that. Magic is everything yet so little people are allowed to succeed, simply because of a difference in birth." Julius said, sounding almost tired, every bit the weight of the Wizard King on his shoulders. "It can't be a sudden change, it won't happen overnight. Little by little, this prejudice must and will be chipped away."

"My hope is that people like Asta will eventually change people's perceptions of commoners."

"Asta?" Was he talking about the same boy I met back at the Bulls' headquarters? That Asta was exuberant but I had sensed no magic coming from him. I thought I was misreading it before, but something told me this wasn't the case. "From the Black Bulls?"

Julius leaned back in his seat, "ah, so you've met him. He's quite the character. He wants to be the Wizard King, you know."

I recalled Asta saying as such, but I laughed it off as an exaggeration, a side effect of his energy. "I didn't sense any magic in him, is that even possible?" To be the Wizard King required immense power, it had to be undeniable. No one went against Morris, as strong as the _other_ mages were, Morris's power was absolute. Julius was probably just as strong, maybe even stronger.

Julius's mana levels were extremely high, but Asta's? A big zero. In my time alive in the Diamond Kingdom, I had seen spells that could challenge the sun, I just didn't see how someone with no magic could ever become the Wizard King.

"Asta may not wield magic in the traditional sense but he possesses something rather unique. He uses anti-magic." My eyes widened, _anti-magic?_ I had never thought something like that was possible. If it was true, it meant Asta directly collided with my magic. Anti-magic completely canceled out everything, _that changes things._ "His greatest ability however, is his willpower. I have never met anyone so determined."

There was a fierceness in Julius's eyes, he truly believed that this boy would one day take his place, regardless of magical lineage or otherwise.

It was a stark difference to Morris, that demented man believed he would live forever.

I smiled gently, "I'd love to go." His smile matched mine and he nodded excitedly.

"You'll be able to see how many different magic types there are! The most unlikely people carry the most interesting magic in my opinion!" I bit my lip, restraining the laughs that wanted to bubble over. _He really is a magic geek. It's...endearing._

"I can't wait to go!"

*******

"I can't _believe_ I agreed to go!" I threw my arms in the air, frustrated. I began pacing back and forth in my bedroom, a million thoughts running through my head. I kicked off my boots, leaving them crumpled on the middle of the floor.

Dinner had wrapped up much too quickly for my liking. Julius had been called away again, Marx rushing in and whispering something in his ear. The Wizard King's eyes had narrowed minutely, before he turned to me.

" _Ah, it seems something that needs my attention has come up again. Our time together keeps getting cut short. No need to hurry eating, I'll have someone escort you back to your room when you finish." His gray eyes fixed on me, "for now, goodnight. I hope you sleep well."_

_He stood and turned to leave before I finally came to my senses and managed to speak. "Wait!" My arm moved forward to touch his arm. The Wizard King turned, eyeing my quizzically. I flushed instantly, barely managing to stutter out, "You too, I mean, I hope you sleep well too." I finished lamely._

_His warm chuckle reached my ears, "thank you, I'll see you tomorrow."_

"Ugh, how embarrassing! _You too_? Seriously?" I tossed myself on my bed, pulling my dress over my shoulders and throwing it on the desk near me. "I nearly yelled at him to wait. Me. yelling at the Wizard King. Then I _manhandled_ him like some thug! If I had done that to Morris-" I shuddered, no need to ruin a perfectly good day with that thought.

As I sat there, half-naked, I thought about what tomorrow would bring. _Really, what am I doing at a commemoration? I'm not a Magic Knight! I have no business going, I know most would agree._ I began to feel melancholy, Julius had been more than accepting but there was no guarantee other mages would be the same.

_It's not like I'll be in any danger. The Wizard King himself invited me as a favor to him, and I agreed. I can't back down now._

_Still-_ "I have nothing to wear!" I plopped backwards onto my back, "I already wore my new dress at dinner, I can't wear it again."

 _That's a bridge I'll cross when I get there._ I saw no sense in worrying about that part of the commemoration. If anything, my cloak would cover my outfit. _What I'll be wearing is the least important part of tomorrow._

What would I even say? I plopped down on my pillows, contemplating. How would the Clover Kingdom's Magic Knights even respond to me being there? I dragged a pillow and used it to smother my face. I closed my eyes and let out a small scream.

Was I going to even survive tomorrow?

*******

_The toy in my brother's hands popped open with a loud spring, music accompanied the popping and I giggled, pleased. "Do it again!" I demanded._

_He laughed at my demands, "why aren't you a spoiled brat. Ask me again nicely, and I might be persuaded." My mother chuckled from her spot on the loveseat, embroidering a blanket._

" _Don't tease your sister."_

_I grinned at her before turning back to my sibling, my hands falling on my lap. "One more time, please!"_

" _Well, since you put it so nicely-" I watched with wide eyes as he closed the top of the box and wound up the toy, his hand turning slowly, my eyes were glued to the movement. The music was getting faster, louder. The more it increased, the closer I leaned in, anticipation filling me._

_Again and again it went._

_Again._

_Faster._

_I jumped back as the box sprung open with a loud pop! The little toy stuck out, its arms wide. I let out a loud, sharp giggle, turning to my mother, "did you see that-" the white double doors to the parlor burst open, a group of mages entered, lining the walls._

_My mother and brother stood up immediately, pulling me behind them. My brother stepped forward, "W-what is the meaning of this? You have no right to enter our home!" His bottom lip wobbled and his stance was shifty._

_**He's scared.**_ _I thought. My brother had never been scared of anything. He killed spiders without hesitation. I watched behind the long fabric of my mother's dress._

_One man stepped forward, clearing his throat, and pulled out a long slip of paper from his vest. "As by the deal set by your predecessors and the Diamond Kingdom, a member of the family must serve the kingdom. As of the death of the patriarch, you have yet to fill your part, as such everything here belongs to the Kingdom." He nodded to some men behind them and they began to tear down the silk floral curtains my mother was so proud of._

_I felt her tremble under my fingers. The men continued to knock decoration down after another, taking what they deemed valuable. We watched as they ransacked our home. It was only when one mage held a fireball in his hand that someone did something. "Wait!" My brother finally unglued himself from his stupor._

_The first mage held his hand up and the other mages stilled in place. "Are you ready to fill your part out?"_

_My brother nodded heavily. "Yes, if it means you'll put an end to this."_

_The man nodded back, slipping the paper back into his clothing. "You heard the man, put everything back. Take the girl."_

_In a flash, my mother gripped me tightly in her arms, my brother moving to stand protectively in front of me. His arms blocked me from view. "This isn't part of the deal, she has nothing to do with this. I'm the head of the house now. Leave my house." My brother pleaded._

_My mother was shielding me, so I didn't see when they cut him down. When I looked up, blood splattered all over the walls, and I heard my mother scream in horror. "My son! Look what they did to you!"_

" _That was a warning. Now, hand over the girl."_

" _I don't understand, why her? I would take her place. It has always fallen on the head of the house to serve the Kingdom."_

" _Our Wizard King has deemed her magical gift of much higher value than that of your son's. His paltry steam magic was of no use to us."_

" _Then please, let me take his place. Not my daughter." My mother was begging, she had never done such a thing in her entire life. Here she was now, begging for me._

_I heard a laugh, this belonged to a new person. It was high in pitch and unbearably cold. "If you are so determined to stick by this 'head of the house' business, then we'll just have to listen to your demands."_

_My mother's arms loosened around me slightly, even though warning bells were ringing in my head. "Truly?"_

_The same laugh echoed, "why of course." I heard a page turn then my mother's arms went limp, her body fell forward, onto me._

" _Mother?" I whispered, her body was still, but warm. I lifted my hands to move her off me and began shaking when I felt my hands slick with something warm. I slowly brought them to my face, a red liquid stained my hands._

_I trembled even more as I took in the sudden ambush. Not even five minutes ago I was a giggling mess, demanding for my brother to play the stupid box. If I hadn't been so insistent, we would have sensed the magical presence, perhaps my family would still be alive._

_Someone wrenched my mother's body off me and I gasped for air._

" _You understand, don't you, my dear?" I shook my head._

_There was nothing to understand._

_Her sharp laugh filled the room for the third time._

_Over and over._

_And over._

_Gentle winds pushed from all directions, sweeping the contents of the house and all the people in it away. The room was sideways, the grandfather clock in the living room ticked._

_I was underwater, floating slowly, aimlessly. I felt a tickling on my heel, I flailed around a bit before sitting up. A rainbow fish swam around my ankle, bubbles leaving its mouth. Each time one popped, I could hear it speaking to me._

" _Are you lost?" He spoke to me kindly. "People don't belong in the ocean, you see."_

" _Oh, I'm sorry." My own words came out as bubbles as well. "You see, something terrible happened and I guess I'm lost now."_

_The fish swam around me three times, a little whirlpool formed where he swam. "If you're lost you should ask for directions."_

" _Thank you. Do you know where I belong?"_

" _No, but I would just wake up."_

" _Wake up?"_

" _Yes, well, this is_ _ **your**_ _dream. I'd just wake up if you don't like it."_

" _Oh, okay."_

*******

It was still dark when I came to. The silk sheets stuck to my sweaty skin as I kicked my legs, untangling the stuck fabric, wondering why I was feeling a sense of mourning. _I must have been dreaming._

At first, I struggled to piece my dreams together. _Something about a fish?_ I felt a stiffness on my face, moving my hand to wipe my face, I could feel the dried tear marks on my cheeks. I was crying in my sleep. _When did I fall asleep? What did I dream about that would cause these?_ It came to me as I was still laying in my bed, the blankets were still tucked, and I was still half naked.

Prior to the heat I felt when I woke up, I now let out a shiver as the seemingly cold air made contact with my bare skin. Was it always this cold at night? I thought fire magic was indelicate but what I wouldn't give to be able to make a fire right now. Grumbling, I lifted my body off the bed and pulled the blankets out of their state and furrowed under the covers.

I balled up in the center of the bed and willed myself to go back to sleep. I had a busy day tomorrow, I had the Distinguished Service Ceremony to go to, at the thought of that possible catastrophe, my nerves tangled.

I couldn't push aside the longing and heartache I felt, my dreams resurrected lost memories, ones I would rather keep away. In my wonder, I had forgotten about my past, even for just an afternoon. I hadn't thought of the Diamond Kingdom and any assassins they might have sent out. I had been too concerned about what the Magic Knights would think of me.

It was foolish to forget one threat in exchange for another. There was no escaping my past, the traumas I endured would not be washed away in a single day and it was naive to even think so. I felt safe now, but how long could that realistically last? The Clover and Diamond Kingdoms were constantly butting forces, it would be easy for me to be snatched at any moment I let my guard down. Tonight proved that.

She might have not been here physically, but her presence was here in my mind, in my subconscious. In my sleep, I manifested her like nothing. The villain of my nightmares, the spider web I had fluttered into, the cold winter freezing the flower.

Even worse, I had dreamt of the night when my family was slaughtered, the worst memory in my disposal. The day my life had been taken from me, when I lost everything.

I couldn't help but feel as if it were tied with tomorrow's events. I felt anxious, something was going to go wrong tomorrow, I could _feel_ it. Call it a premonition but anything that had to do with the winter lady was a bad omen.

Still, as terror stewed in my heart, I felt a glimmer of hope. Hope that I could one day have a family again. Vanessa, Asta, and Finral came to mind first. These people were the closest I could call friends, in a future not-so-distant, they _would_ be my friends.

Then, I thought of Julius. His kind, grey eyes held a wealth of wisdom and emotions. He was the Wizard King of the Clover Kingdom, but he was so much more than that. As little time that had passed, he was important to me now. I was indebted to him.

We had brief conversations that didn't reveal much about him. All our chats had been cut short but still I was left completely enchanted by him. It was ridiculous, getting this tied up about someone I barely knew. It was even more ridiculous when I knew how entirely one-sided this was.

There was no way Julius, the _Wizard King_ would ever feel as flustered as I got around him.

I was aware of my infatuation and that's precisely why I couldn't let him down. I tossed and turned in bed, trying to find a proper position and tucked the blanket up to my neck.

As scared as I was of the Diamond Kingdom and whatever else tomorrow might bring, I made a promise to Julius that I would go. Surely with him there, nothing bad would happen. I relaxed and closed my eyes. I was safe.

I hoped.

*******

Morning came far too quickly.

After I washed my face in the adjoining bathroom, I sat down at the foot of my bed to have a quick breakfast alone. Meredith walked in the same as yesterday and began cleaning up my room. She shooed me away from my bed, making me stand awkwardly as she shook sheets.

Warm hands clutched my shoulders from behind and I let out a small scream, drawing a frown from Meredith. Ignoring her, I whipped around and relaxed when I saw the talkative girl from yesterday, Myrna or something, grinning ear to ear at my reaction.

"You're a jumpy one, aren't you?" I glared at her, it seemed my fear had shifted to annoyance. "Aw, it was a joke! No need to take it so seriously.

"Myrna, if you're not going to help, I suggest heading to the kitchens so see if they need assistance." Meredith's stern voice called over from the bathroom.

The younger girl giggled and winked at me. "She's such a slave driver, I swear." She craned her neck and called out, "I am helping!"

"You are?" I couldn't resist the words that slipped out of my mouth and I slightly regretted it. Myrna took it all in stride and shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure, I brought you clothes." She gestured to the rack of clothing behind here. I gulped, that was a _lot_ of clothes. Myrna laughed at my shocked face, "it's not all just for today! These are going to fill that wardrobe over there."

I had no idea who was supplying me with all these new clothes but I didn't question as I gleefully picked out an outfit and stepped into my bathroom to change.

I assumed Julius was busy this morning, perhaps dealing with last minute arrangements or something along the lines. He had no doubt risen earlier than me, probably started on this day the moment dawn cracked, like the Wizard King should. On my part, the nightmare from last night caused me to sleep in a bit.

Same as yesterday, the maids had left without a word to me, leaving me alone with some tea and an assortment of pastries. I casually wondered what time the commemoration would be starting and who would come get me.

I reached for the plate of pastries, selecting a croissant when something caught my eye. I took the bread and straightened up, as my eyes wandered over to my desk, to make sure I wasn't seeing things, my eyebrows arched in curiosity.

I bit into my croissant and stared at the vase of flowers on my desk. I narrowed my eyes as I took in the white petals. _Those weren't there last night._

I put the pastry down and stood, walking over to stand right in front of the desk. There was a note attached to the base of the vase. I snatched the folded note, quickly opening it up and reading its contents. My face began to color as a single word stood in the center of the page.

_-Julius_

My heart began beating and I could scarcely believe what I was reading. They were from Julius. As the words processed in my head, I let out a yelp and threw the note as far as I could, flopping down into the chair, and began fanning myself.

No one had ever given me flowers.

I sat up, reaching for the vase, looking at it in a different light. I felt a warmth in my chest, comforting. _They really are nice flowers… camellias, if I'm not mistaken._

If the note was real, it meant the Wizard King had sent me these. He had thought about me. I felt the familiar giddiness though it was soon dashed out by doubt. Where these really for me? It could have been a misplacement, meant for someone else.

Even worse, the thought that Julius _had_ selected these for me made me nervous for an entirely different reason. One that hopefully, he could clarify. All those hours spent away gardening weren't just spent twiddling my thumbs. All flowers held meaning.

There was also the fact that I wasn't used to receiving anything without giving something in return. Back in the Diamond Kingdom, even my meals were traded in for magic spells or favors. As beautiful as the flowers were, I didn't want to have to trade something for them.

_Stop, you're overthinking this. This isn't the Diamond Kingdom and Julius isn't cruel like that. Right?_

Before I could dwell on my negative thoughts for too long, a polite knock sounded on my door. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden intrusion. I exhaled, gathering my nerves before standing and walking over to open the door much more subtly than I did last night.

 _The last thing I want to do is scar some other employee…_ Expecting another servant, I kept a neutral expression on. As soon as the person on the other side came into view, I gasped and slammed the door shut immediately. _Oh my stars, it's the Wizard King! I didn't think he'd come to get me!_

My back was pressed against the wood and I took a few shallow breaths, moving to smooth down my hair, tensing once more as I realized what I just did. _I slammed the door in his face!_

"Just one minute!" My eyes looked around, landing on my discarded shoes and ran to yank them on. I pulled on the right boot and reached for the other one, my foot caught on the carpet and I skidded forward, knocking into the nearby chair. My head cocked on the wood with a dull thud and the chair fell sideways.

"Ow!" I rubbed the knot that I knew would form on my head and angrily pulled the other boot on my other foot. _Seriously? I need to get myself under control! You are graceful, graceful!_

I forced myself to relax as I _calmly_ opened the door once more.

Julius stood on the other side, an amused smile on his lips, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion and surprise. I stared at him for a moment before coming to my senses. "Good morning!" My voice was too cheery for me and it was all I had not to cringe at the sound of my own voice.

"Good morning, although I think it's closer to afternoon at this point." He teased. "Everything alright? I heard a bit of a commotion." He looked over my shoulder to peek into my room, I stepped forward into the hallway, closing the door behind me. There was no need for him to see the fallen furniture, it would only add to my humiliation.

I looked back at Julius, proud of myself for my quick reaction, then I gulped. My back pressed against the cool wood, the distance between Julius and I seemed shorter, closer. I stared at his face for a second, belatedly tearing my gaze away from him when he quirked his eyebrow. _It seems this has backfired on me. Wait, he asked me a question didn't he?_

I flushed, thinking about what had just happened behind the door. My arm reached to rub the back of my neck soothingly. "Nothing happened! I was just a little surprised." I looked down, smoothing out any wrinkles on my cream shirt. I hoped he hadn't picked up on my mild ogling.

 _That reminds me..._ I tore my eyes from the ground and met Julius's eyes. "Thank you for the flowers," I said, feeling as shy as a newborn deer, trying my best to hold his gaze. "They're lovely." I didn't say more, hoping that he would understand my meaning. I _needed_ to know.

I mustered up the courage to look him in the eye, an almost pleased expression was fixed on his face, his eyes gleaming again with an unknown sparkle. "Ah, I'm glad you liked them. I thought they'd be a nice congratulations for surviving your first day here."

 _So he did pick them out._ The new information settled oddly, before I could have chalked it up to a mere coincidence. My stomach fluttered with the new information. Eagerly, I pressed on. "I used to garden a lot with my mom when I was younger. We had a lot of room for all the flowers a girl could want." I eyed him, carefully gauging for any change in emotion. "I had a bit of a knack for it. Maybe in another life I would have been a plant magic user."

"Ah, the gardens back at my childhood home were lovely as well." I leaned closer, wanting to hear more about Julius's life. He rubbed the back of his neck, "I can't say I share your affinity for it. Everything I planted seemed to die."

I sighed, he seemed clueless. _I'm reading too much into it. Just because they're camellias doesn't mean they mean anything!_ "Still, my hope is that after this all settles, I'll be able to have my own garden."

Julius hummed, a calculating look on his face. I peered at him curiously, wondering what he was thinking about when he abruptly changed the subject. "The banquet will begin shortly, but before we head over, there's something I have to do. If you don't mind accompanying me of course." _The banquet, that's right, I almost forgot about that!_

I pushed off the door, nodding. I was eager to spend more time with the blond mage, hopefully I would get to know more about him and my situation. "I'd love to go with you, but can I ask where we're going?"

Julius flashed me a small smile. "We're just going to meet some people. I figured you would be more comfortable being around some familiar faces, that way, in case I get called away, you wouldn't be on your own."

Familiar faces? I had only met the Black Bulls so he had to be talking about them. But which ones, and why did he need to speak with them? I was practically bursting with questions. Julius smiled, as if sensing them. "We'll actually be heading to the Magic Knight Headquarters, which is not far from the castle. It's quite a maze to get there however, so I would suggest staying close."

It made sense, but before I moved, a sudden thought came into my head. I looked down at myself, pursing my lips. "Do you think I should leave my cloak then?" I had carelessly thrown my robe over my clothes as I normally would have done. However, my item of comfort still had the garish diamond stitched on to it. It was ugly.

More importantly, I didn't think it wise to walk into a room full of Magic Knights wearing the insignia from the enemy kingdom.

"I think you should keep it on." I tore my eyes from my cloak sharply. Julius was looking intently at the diamond, he was plotting something, I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "Be assured, no harm will come to you."

I nodded and moved to step closer to him before we were encased in a familiar bright glow, time standing still and expanding all at the same moment. When the sensation ebbed away, I let out a deep breath before scowling at Julius, who looked like he was struggling to hide his laughter.

I looked around to be certain and surely enough, our surroundings had changed. "You need to warn me if you're going to do that!" I whined. This time, Julius really did laugh.

"It's just, the look on your face!" I flushed, pouting. "Now, now, as cute as that is don't you want to smile for Asta and Noelle?" If I could redden anymore, I would be certifiably a tomato. _Is he flirting with me? No! Julius is just an overgrown child, teasing me. Don't let it get to your head!_

Wait, Asta and Noelle? "What are they doing here? Are they coming to the ceremony?" My embarrassment discarded, I was excited to see the Bulls. Asta seemed friendly enough, but Noelle was quieter, more subdued. When she wasn't being riled up by Asta, that was. I looked forward to bonding with both of them.

"Yes, in fact, they just finished exploring a dungeon." My eyes widened imperceptibly, _a_ _dungeon? Lotus and Mars were sent out to one earlier this week, could it be the same one?_ "Ah, so you're aware of it."

I nodded. "I think so. A week ago, Morris sent Lotus and Mars to explore a new dungeon that popped up. I just didn't know it was the same one."

"We sent out Asta and Noelle, along with Luck. Then there were three other Magic Knights from the Golden Dawn. Asta woke up just yesterday from a week long nap it appears." _A week? Pretty sure that's a coma but tomato, tomatoe._ "It was a success so they're coming to be debriefed. I'm planning on inviting them to join in on the festivities."

"That's a nice reward, dungeon crawling is really dangerous, from what I've heard."

"It can be but think of all the cool magic just waiting to be discovered!" I giggled at his excitement. At any mention of magic, Julius's childlike curiosity took over. It was very cute.

Julius grinned, pointing over my head. "Ah, here come our guests." I squinted, confused, as I didn't see anyone. I wanted to ask how he could tell but I could hear Asta's loud voice. "It appears they might be in need of some direction."

I could hear Asta's loud cries as he greeted someone. They weren't too far from us, just around the corner. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Julius's grin grow wider, obviously he was aware of them. "Why don't you go say hi? I'm sure Asta would be glad to see you." The Wizard King requested.

I nodded and stepped forward, not before turning and giving him a cheeky smile, "Is it because you want to make your grand dramatic entrance?" I walked forward without witnessing his expression, only hearing his deep laugh as I made my way closer to the group.

As I got closer, I could count five mages. Asta and Noelle seemed to recognize me. "Oh hey there! When did you get here?" Asta waved at me, a bright smile on his face. Noelle offered a polite nod which was more than I expected from her. The girl struck me as closed book, but once opened, everything was on display.

Three other mages were with them, the man I assumed spoke first, he had glasses and a seemingly testy disposition. A dark-haired boy brought up the rear, a look of complete and utter indifference on his face. There was a female too, but I couldn't make out her features well from behind the other two.

I waved back, "I'm staying at the castle for now." Noelle's silver eyebrows shot up but she didn't say anything, a thoughtful expression settled on her face. Asta's own expression was more awed.

"You mean you get to stay here? For free?"

I couldn't help but laugh, "I hope so. I'm afraid I won't be able to afford it otherwise."

"Sweet! Wait, do you know where the Magic Knight headquarters are?" Asta asked eagerly. I nodded.

"It's just over here, around the corner." I pointed, smiling. I was happy to be of use, even if it was something as small as giving directions. "If you want, you can follow me, I'm heading in that way." I said directly to the group.

"But what are you doing here?" Asta asked bluntly. The dark haired boy next to him swatted his head, "hey what was that for Yuno?" Asta turned and glared at the taller boy.

This Yuno was in the same squad as the other two by the looks of his robes. _The Golden Dawn, the best Magic Knight squad in the entire kingdom._ "You act like you were raised in a barn."

"Well what can you expect Yuno, from a commoner with no magic?" The testy mage said.

"Please don't fight you guys!" A sweet voice came from the only other female in the group, a girl with orange hair and aristocratic features, much like Noelle. I look between the mages, curious as to who they were, but not wanting to be rude.

Noelle, bless her, read the room and was quick to introduce. "Er, this is my cousin Mimosa Vermillion. She's in the Golden Dawn." She said haughtily before quickly introducing me by my first name. She didn't mention the part of me being from the Diamond Kingdom. The males finally stopped their squabble.

No doubt the emblem on my cloak had caught their attention. For a moment, you could almost hear crickets chirp. I offered a tight smile, trying to not display my sudden discomfort. _This was a bad idea. I should have just waited behind. Why do I always do this to myself?_

"Hi there!" Mimosa said cheerfully, her jubilant disposition was a nice change from all the brasher personalities. "It's nice to meet you!"

I matched her friendly smile as relief flooded my body, "likewise."

She pointed at the man with glasses, "this is Klaus, and the one fighting with Asta is Yuno. We're all in the Golden Dawn." I greeted the other two, receiving nods in return. They quickly went back to squabbling with Asta. _So it seems Mimosa is the friendly one..._

Asta not be defeated so quickly, taunted Klaus. "I bet you didn't know the way. Guess there are somethings even you don't know huh, four-eyes?"

"Even we four-eyes can't know everything. Anyways, we don't often come to headquarters so it's easy to forget." Klaus struck me as having a temper similar to Marx, his lofty voice that singled him out as a noble instantly, but held a hint of fondness.

The oldest male, pushed his glasses up and fixed me with an unreadable expression. He cleared his throat before looking over my shoulder, gasping, and falling to his knees.

Noelle and Mimosa fell into line with Klaus, instantly kneeling. I stood off to the side, awkwardly as they yanked Asta and Yuno down as well. I turned, knowing that it was Julius who had caused them to kneel so suddenly. As I did, I couldn't help but be awed by him as well.

The sun was above his head, casting a bright glow on his face. The warm rays highlighted his features, his hair was gold in the sunlight. I felt my mouth open slightly as I took in him, feeling an urge to kneel as well. Just his very visage was powerful and intimidating. He had the magic to back it up as well.

He was like a god.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, mmm, I know I'm messing with whats canon and not, but guess what, Idc. I'm v. excited for the next chapter and I'm so grateful for anyone who reads this or leaves a kudo or even looks for BC fanfic because its underrated. 
> 
> Also... the wiki lists Julius's eye color as gray so don't @ me. for the sake of this story, his eyes are gray not purple.


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simple ceremonies are always anything but. Unexpected events trigger insecurity and memories best left in the past.

_**Black Clover** _

_**V** _

_******* _

_Asta not be defeated so quickly, taunted Klaus. "I bet you didn't know the way. Guess there are somethings even you don't know huh, four-eyes?"_

" _Even we four-eyes can't know everything. Anyways, we don't often come to headquarters so it's easy to forget." Klaus struck me as having a temper similar to Marx, his lofty voice that singled him out as a noble instantly, but held a hint of fondness._

_The oldest male, pushed his glasses up and fixed me with an unreadable expression. He cleared his throat before looking over my shoulder, gasping, and falling to his knees._

_Noelle and Mimosa fell into line with Klaus, instantly kneeling. I stood off to the side, awkwardly as they yanked Asta and Yuno down as well. I turned, knowing that it was Julius who had caused them to kneel so suddenly. As I did, I couldn't help but be awed by him as well._

_The sun was above his head, casting a bright glow on his face. The warm rays highlighted his features, his hair was gold in the sunlight. I felt my mouth open slightly as I took in him, feeling an urge to kneel as well. Just his very visage was powerful and intimidating. He had the magic to back it up as well._

_He was like a god._

It felt like a good five minutes before I managed tear my eyes away from his image, the familiar heat already making its way to my face. It was funny that I was just with him but now, standing in front of him, I felt awed. I vaguely heard Klaus reprimand Asta and Yuno before introducing Julius by his full title.

I briefly wondered if I should join them too. _No that would be silly, I guided them here!_ I took a peek at their faces, all of them a combination of shock and reverence. It was then that I felt that maybe I hadn't had the best reaction to meeting the Wizard King. These people were kneeling, awe in every part of their body, instantly recognizing him. I hadn't even known who he was at first. Even after, I didn't have the same reaction. I had treated him like anyone else. Was that a mistake?

My eyes flitted back to Julius, a warm smile on his face. No sign of arrogance or pride at the sight of the kneeling knights. Behind me, Klaus muttered about apologies and formalities. I could scarcely hear what he was saying and it didn't matter. The warmth behind the Wizard King's eyes was remarkable. It was obvious he _cared_ about his Magic Knights. The reverence which they were giving him reflected back that they too cared for him.

My infatuation felt even more petty, simple, unrealistic. How could I ever hold a candle to all his accomplishments? To the people that loved him? To the respect which he so obviously commanded? I shook my head, I couldn't let my emotions carry me away. There were more important things, I was curious to find out how the dungeon expedition had ended. Had my homeland grown even more formidable now? It was terrifying to imagine such powerful artifacts in the hands of the Diamond Kingdom.

They didn't deserve it.

*******

" _Remember, you're using your magic to protect others. To defend the ones that can't help themselves." His hair seemed faded now, the vibrancy of the color long gone with the time, the memory old, hazy. I could no longer see his face, could not tell if he was the cheerful sort or a more solemn character, all that was gone. All that remained were his words and convictions._

" _So we're helping people?" Some convictions that had passed along to me._

" _Yes. That's why we train so hard together." The throbbing in my knee began to fade, enchanted with his very words. "I know it hurts now, but think of all the people you get to help. I know you have it in you to be a great mage. You, Fana, Mars, and Ladros, you all have great power and potential. My hope is that you use all that to be better, no matter what anyone says." His praise was welcomed, but his words held weight, a shadow of doubt that would someday consume him._

" _Master Fanzell? Is everything okay?"_

" _Don't you worry about it. Just got some things on my mind. Go spar with Mariella for now."_

*******

I felt a shake to my shoulder. I turned, my eyebrows scrunched. Noelle was looking at me expectantly. She was talking to me. Oh. "Sorry," I mumbled. "I didn't catch that."

"Not me! The Wizard King was talking to you."

My eyes widened and I focused my gaze back on Julius, embarrassed to be caught drifting off. I frowned internally, these flashbacks had been happening more often. It was painful, the last thing I wanted to do was relive my past, not when I was looking forward to my future. I quickly apologized.

There was a dash of concern on the Wizard King's face, quickly disappearing under a mask of cheerfulness. "No need to apologize, we're just going to head to a more private place to debrief."

I nodded, it seemed like I was going to find out what went down in the dungeon. The group began moving, with me in the rear. I was still feeling a little off from last night and the incessant flashbacks were starting to give me headaches. Julius led the group, a silence had befallen, no one dared to speak.

Asta and Noelle walked next to each other, I could practically _feel_ the girl's discomfort. Klaus and Yuno walked behind them and Mimosa stood a little away from them. She almost seemed as lost as I felt. I sighed, taking the time to observe the surroundings. We were headed towards a tower it seemed, the large imposing building was the only thing in the immediate eyesight.

I felt someone tug my sleeve, startled, I let out a small yelp. The group stopped at my sudden outburst, their eyes fixed on me. I flushed and shook my head, turning to Mimosa, her face a similar shade of red.

"I'm sorry if I startled you!" She stuttered out, covering her cheeks.

I let out a small giggle at her sweet reaction. "It's fine! I'm just jumpy." I assured her. I caught Julius's curious eyes and smiled. We began moving again, this time, Mimosa slowed down to walk next to me.

I looked at her, confused and a little wary. "You seemed lonely, so I thought that maybe I could walk with you?" My mouth dropped open a little, shocked at her perceptiveness. Mimosa took my silence as a bad sign and quickly waved her hands in the air. "If I'm overstepping please tell me! I was being too forward wasn't I?"

"Thank you, Mimosa. I appreciate it." I gave her a sincere smile, one that she shared. We didn't speak but we walked together quietly, a form of solidarity built between us. I was grateful for her thoughtfulness.

My predictions proved right when we began ascending the steps to the stone tower, stopping once we reached the top of it. I peered over the edge of the railing as we entered, curious to see how high we were. At this height, I could see the city, a small scattering from my spot. I looked down as well, becoming a little disoriented at the distance between us and the ground.

_That's quite a fall- wait am I afraid of heights?_ Oh no, I felt a tightness in my chest and the bottom of my feet began tingling. If I was afraid of heights, this was news to me. I'd never really experienced being this high up, my old room was only on the third floor, but this was easily much higher than that. I wanted to sit down. Standing like this made me feel as if I would sway and tumble with any slight breeze.

I looked over to my right, Julius was speaking to Asta and Yuno, no doubt examining the artifacts they managed to dig up. I could pick up traces of the conversation, something about Yuno's spell being the 'greatest relic' to come out of the dungeon. My earlier interest in the dungeon evaporated as dread filled my stomach. I squeezed my eyes shut and attempted to fend my fear away with sheer willpower.

I was no closer to calming down when I suddenly felt at ease. Curious, I peeked open in eye and found Mimosa standing in front of me, her grimoire open, a green energy flowing from it. I opened both eyes with renewed vitality and gaped at the redhead.

"What are you doing?" I didn't mean to come off as blunt and hope Mimosa didn't take it the wrong way.

I was relieved when she smiled gently at me. "I noticed you looked a bit queasy. If it's okay, I can use my plant recovery magic to help?"

"You would do that?" It was incredibly touching. Mimosa nodded firmly, determination sparking in her eyes. "I just feel a bit nauseous."

Mimosa perked up, "I have just the thing for that!" I watched as the pages in her grimoire flipped to the first few pages. She muttered something I didn't catch before producing a dozen small buds of chamomile. I was familiar with using the herb to soothe nausea but instead of making it into a tea, the flowers began glowing. A warm, yellow light encased me, lasting no longer than five seconds but when it faded, it had taken all my unease away.

I blinked a few times, gathering myself. "Mimosa that was-"

"Wow! That's a neat spell!" We both turned to the Wizard King, he was looking at a grimoire floating in the air and clapped his hands, accidentally letting go of the clunky sword he had. The sword clattered to the stone floor with a loud noise. "Whoops, sorry Asta. Here, I think you better hold on it, you might be the only one who can."

"Really?"

"Yes, you can wield it because of your anti-magic. I'm afraid it's too much for me to handle."

"How do you know about my sword and my magic?" Asta asked. It was his first time meeting Julius, if I recalled correctly. I leaned closer, wanting to know how it was Julius seemed to know every Knight's magic.

The Wizard King paused, a coy smile played at his lips. He would not give up his secrets so easily it seemed. "Well, you know, that's an excellent question." His eyes met mine, crinkling slightly before clearing his throat and changing the subject. "Anyway well done. You did a marvelous job out there. Much appreciated." Though they were simple words, it felt like very high praise.

Again, I was amazed by the respect he held.

I smiled at Mimosa, thankful for her company and her willingness to help. If all Magic Knights were like this, then the Clover Kingdom was without a doubt in the best of hands.

"How can I become the Wizard King?" Yuno and Asta nearly shouted the question. Asta had told me his ambitions the moment we met but I had hardly taken it too seriously. Chalking it up to youthful exuberance, I never thought he would confront Julius about it. One glance told me that Klaus was taken back as I was. It was a rather bold question to ask. I wondered if Julius would get angry, after all, these boys had just essentially asked how to replace _him._ Yes, rather bold. However, the blond merely laughed off the question as Klaus began scolding the boys.

"You surely realize how impertinent that question is! The Wizard King must be of noble heart and have the implicit trust of the people-"

"No Klaus." Julius's stopped the stuttering noble without raising his voice. His face was devoid of its usual joking manner now, he was serious. "It's about results. A noble heart alone can't protect anyone and the trust of the people is earned not granted. Get results. Prove that you're the strongest, do what it takes. Devote yourself to getting results. That's all there is. Anyone who cannot do that, cannot hope to stand at the summit."

He said it to everyone but his words were directed at Asta and Yuno. I felt a sudden sense of not belonging. These were _Magic Knights._ I was no one, just some deserter from the opposing Kingdom. _I shouldn't even be here._ I didn't hide my distress as well as I thought when I felt Mimosa scoot closer to me, her hand placed over mine in a silent show of comfort. She was so different from Vanessa's rambunctious spirit, Mimosa held a softness, a certain kindness that was a rarity these days.

"Now, we have prepared a certain surprise for a job well done." Ah, the ceremony. I had nearly forgotten about that. Julius gave the group a run down of the event and I tuned it out as I focused on staring at the floor and not over the sides. I knew all about this and wondered if Julius would even mention my being there.

So far, he had made no move to explain my presence. I felt almost like an accessory, just tagging along with no real meaning. I knew Klaus and Yuno were throwing me curious glances every so often, but they didn't dare to say anything. _Guess being the Wizard King has some perks._

"Shall we head to the banquet now?"

*******

As we followed behind Julius, I could feel the uneasiness coming from the group of mages behind me the closer we got to the end of the hall. Asta seemed excited, but besides his usual demeanor, I could tell the others did not share in that sentiment. Noelle in particular seemed worried, her eyebrows knotted and she grimaced, her eyes darting in all directions, never settling.

I remembered her saying something about royalty yesterday during our conversation with Magna. I didn't know what she meant then but I was starting to get an idea of what was going on. And whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant.

Her nerves seemed to start wearing on me as well, as I began to feel tendrils of dread the closer we got to those double doors. Just what was Julius hoping to accomplish? I had read a bit about the Clover Kingdom's own prejudice towards those of low birth and low magic levels.

From what I knew, Asta and Yuno were commoners, Noelle couldn't control her magic, and I was an ex Diamond mage. So that left Klaus and Mimosa as the only 'appropriate' people in our party to attend.

Julius pushed the door open slowly, the natural light from the room nearly blinding us. He looked over his shoulder to look at us. "The question is can you achieve better results than these knights have?"

I took a deep breath and walked in. I could hear Noelle give out a little gasp besides me as we filed in.

My eyes soon adjusted to the brightness. To say it was intimidating was an understatement. A handful of knights were lined up, dividing the room. As soon as I fully walked in, I felt it. It was like having a weight pressed on my chest and shoulders. The magic levels here were off the charts. If I had a hard time at the Black Bulls base, this was nothing compared to that. This was a crushing weight.

Those present here were undoubtedly the best of the best. Each magic level stronger than the other. I thought Yuno and Noelle had great magic levels, but these knights were so much stronger. All in control, all deadly. And they were looking at me like I was the next target.

No one spoke, but if looks could kill, I'd be six feet under. Their glares had potency of their own, making it difficult to keep my head high. Just what was Julius hoping to accomplish? The diamond on my cloak was like a red target painted on me.

Noelle's dread snapped me out of my own thoughts, the girl looked queasy to say the least. I immediately felt concern for her. Julius walked toward the front of the room, the others stayed back and I followed their lead, pinning myself to the back wall next to Mimosa, I watched as Julius addressed the room at large.

"All right, let the distinguished service ceremony begin!" Julius smiled before sitting down behind the desk. He pulled out a list and began calling one mage up after the other, starting with a Leopold Vermillion.

_Vermillion? That's not exactly a common surname._ I glanced subtly to Mimosa, the two shared the same family name, did that mean they were related? The girl showed no signs of distress or recognition so perhaps it was a coincidence.

Leopold eagerly came forward, his bright red hair was extremely different from Mimosa's strawberry blonde. Julius proudly called out his new rank and offered Leopold some words of advice, asking him to restrain himself a little, to show some mercy. The teen merely stared at the Wizard King, as if he didn't know what to make of him.

"There's no time for that on the battlefield, sir." He said bluntly.

I frowned, as the ceremony went on, it seemed to me like every Magic Knight here had a comeback. They were defensive when Julius was only offering advice, and politely at that. It was said so they could improve on their own skills, were they really so arrogant to ignore that? Morris wouldn't have been so merciful. Those who had the displeasure of going before the Wizard King usually didn't have their lives or limbs intact.

It was over quickly enough. Julius finished off the list and cleared his throat, perking up to address the room. He was right. There were truly some amazing magics here. One mage wielded the rare glass magic, another an impressive variety on the common earth magic, one thing was clear though. One squad stood out from the rest, more and more mages from the same squad were called. The same symbol on Yuno and Mimosa's robe, the Golden Dawn. They demolished whatever competition they faced with a total of 71 stars.

_They really are the strongest squad around._ Even in the Diamond Kingdom, we had heard about them. The legendary Golden Dawn. "Well now that that's over, we have prepared a small banquet for anyone to partake in and mingle." Julius fixed his eyes on me, his gaze piercing as he spoke, "I've also taken the liberty of inviting some guests." At his gesture, the entire room full of Magic Knights turned to look at us, their looks of disgust obvious.

I could scarcely hear Julius's low chuckle. There was no doubt now, he was up to something. "I hope you all will do your best to make them feel welcome." Those were his wishes, but something told me that it wouldn't be so easy. I gulped, nervously looking at my companions, by the looks of it, apparently they felt the same.

It was okay, we would be fine. With Julius's presence here, no one would dare act out of line. I started to move in his direction, now that the ceremony was over, I wanted to spend some time with Julius.

Unfortunately, luck was not on my side. As soon as the thought ran through my head, Marx came out of nowhere and ran up to Julius. He leaned down, cupping his hand and whispered something into the Wizard King's ears.

By the way he scrunched up his face, all previous childishness left his body and he tensed slightly. It could not be good news. My heart beat faster as he stood up from his desk and cleared his throat. "My apologies, there's something that requires my attention. I do hope you'll choose to mingle with our guests."

As he passed by, heading towards the door, he stopped right in front of me. His hand reached out to squeeze my upper arm, heat blooming under the fabric of my cloak at his touch. Julius's silver eyes bore into mine. "Please, try to enjoy yourself. No harm will come to you."

"Is everything okay?" I whispered, no doubt the entire room was watching our exchange with curiosity.

His smile tightened, as if he was trying to reassure himself. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, being replaced by his usual cheerful smile. "Yes, yes. Nothing to worry about. It's a small matter. I'll see you tonight." The last part was said much more quietly, so much so that I had to lean in to hear.

With one more squeeze to my shoulder, Julius's left in a flurry of robes. I sighed, feeling my cheeks heat up shamefully. Now was not the time, not in front of all these mages and their judgement. There was more silence as the inhabitants of the room were unsure of what to do.

Soon, they turned their backs on us and began talking among themselves, immediately cutting us out of any conversation. _So much for following the Wizard King's orders._

Julius wanted us to participate, to meet with these Knights. However, they certainly felt different. Wizard King or not, I could sense their magic levels, and they were not friendly.

*******

We stood to the far corner all six of us, secluded to one table. Klaus held a glass in his hand but had yet to drink from it. He murmured low enough for us to hear, "their contempt is almost palpable. How are we supposed to enjoy this?" For once, his lofty tone held a hint of fear.

I took a bite of the cupcake I was holding, pausing to enjoy the sweet lavender taste of it. "I know what you mean, their magic levels are quite threatening. I think they're trying to scare us." Yuno and Klaus fixed their eyes on me.

"You can feel that?" I nodded, he didn't know I was extremely sensitive to mana levels. The wisps of it normally appeared similar to petals in my eyes, however, this was more of a flurry. "Just look at them, why would the Wizard King subject us to this?" I didn't need to look up, eyes were on the back of my robe, glaring holes into it.

"Yes, well at least you aren't wearing a cloak that bears the symbol of the Diamond Kingdom." I teased, "I think you'll be okay." My tone was light but I was questioning Julius's actions as well. What was the point of bringing us here? To be ridiculed? We were being gawked at like we were zoo animals.

Noelle's nervous presence didn't help with the state of things. She seemed ready to keel over, her hands jittering as she forced them by her side.

Asta, bless him, was not one to be intimidated so easily. "What is this?" He screeched happily, forking food into his mouth at a rapid pace. "This is so good!" He yelled, bits of food projecting out as he spoke. "I've never had ANYTHING like this!"

I hid my smile behind my hand as Klaus and Yuno complained over the magic-less boy. His manners did leave room for improvement but I had to agree, the food was _delicious._

Klaus, not surprisingly, protested at Asta's lack of decorum, his pale features reddening with second hand embarrassment. I happily munched on my dessert, tuning out his screeches.

"I wouldn't say unashamed, more like uncivilized." Yuno's words were harsh but there was a hint of fondness as he spoke. I wondered how Asta and Yuno knew each other. They seemed comfortable around each other, years of familiarity no doubt. They hardly spoke to each other, but I knew the signs of siblings when I saw it. _They're brothers._

Mimosa approached us, I hadn't even noticed that she had left the table. A red blush was on her face and she politely asked to join us. _Such manners. Maybe Asta should take lessons from her. Although, something tells me she wouldn't be able to teach much in front of him. She is positively flustered._

"Excuse me, if you don't mind, I was thinking of j-joining you?" She asked.

Asta answered first, eagerly nodding through his meal. "Of yeah, sure Mimosa!" The girl smiled, instantly shooting off into a conversation with him. From the corner of my eye, I could see Noelle tense and narrow her eyes at the two. _Oho! Is this a love triangle?_ I had read about such things in the light novels Lotus was fond of reading. He had slid some my way during my house arrest and laughed when I came back to him, ears red, and an unwillingness to look him in the eye. He wasn't expecting me to ask for more.

I smiled fondly at their exchange. I had already grown a little attached to these two. My ears perked as the whispers began to get louder, becoming bolder the moment Mimosa had chosen to join our table. Almost like her presence had crossed some sort of line.

"Filthy, gluttonous, commoner." Some pukey looking mage with an obvious superiority complex snidely said. "Why would the Wizard King invite such a vulgar guest?" It was said to no one in general but loud enough to ensure we heard. I glanced at his robe, it matched Mimosa's, Yuno's, and Klaus's own robes. _So he's Golden Dawn huh?_

I recalled his use of sand magic, his name was Alecdora Sandler, if I wasn't mistaken. _What a stupid name._

"I can't sense any magic power in him." _That woman looks like a sickly Noelle._ "If he did clear that dungeon, it was surely by luck." Alecdora's words had set off a chain reaction and now a few other mages chimed in, going after Asta.

"What a positively, atrocious, eater!" _Look who's talking, you're stuffing your face right now._ Were all Magic Knights like this? Why in the world were they making it their personal vendetta to degrade Asta? He had done nothing wrong, the boy had been friendly enough to me, eager to help.

"It's much like having a rat in the throne room, his presence is unnatural." I angrily shoved the rest of my cupcake in my mouth, chewing quickly. I wanted to finish it before I ripped the pompous mage a new one.

Just as I was about to roll up my sleeves and defend Asta's honor, he came to his own rescue. In a blunt manner, blankly eating, "you guys really don't pull your punches, huh?" He was unbothered, chewing with his mouth open, ignoring Klaus's aneurysm in the background. "Oh well, nothing I'm not used to."

_It doesn't even seem to bother him! He's pretty resilient, gotta give it to him._

"If I remember correctly, you have a commoner in your squad too." The first mage to receive his award, Leopold Vermillion approached the first man to cast shade on Asta. At first, it appeared he was readying to berate the Golden Dawn member. "Everyone thinks he's a big deal, because of his four leaf grimoire. But he's a commoner through and through." My eyes darted to Yuno, _he has a four leaf grimoire? Amazing!_ No wonder I felt such power from him. Leopold was right to be jealous, even threatened.

I would be.

Then I frowned, there was this whole commoner business. The word was thrown around like a curse word, an insult. It was derogatory in its nature. I had of course heard of the Clover Kingdoms's hierarchy, an almost feudal like system. I did not think it was extreme to this level. Personally, I didn't care about fancy titles. My family had been well off yes, but poverty was always just around the corner, one wrong step and that bountiful harvest would vanish.

Yuno, who seemed not to care about what others thought of him bristled at the word. Was social status truly that important here? Wasn't magic all that was needed? When we were training as children in the Diamond Kingdom, all of us had come from different backgrounds. Some were like me, well off, others were orphans, peasants, and everything and anything in between. The only thing that mattered was power.

Was it not the same here? Julius said a little about the classes yesterday, but to think they could be this extreme?

"They might have pulled off the dungeon crawling mission but there's no doubt I would have done a better job." Leopold continued, his tone haughty.

"Well, Crimson Lion cub, aren't you full of yourself?" For once, it seemed Alecdora was making sense. I felt some sort of respect for him. Then he kept talking. "His work is sub-par but it's not like we expect much from a commoner. True he's Golden Dawn but it's we nobles that embody the ideals of our squad and captain."

Even Asta had paused in his vigorous eating to gawk at the spectacle. Something like a frown briefly passed over Yuno before he settled on a mask of indifference, but I recognized those tense shoulders anywhere, I had felt it in me plenty enough. Klaus, had enough. He pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat. "Now with all due respect-"

Alecdora it appeared, was not one to be interrupted. "And what about you Klaus? A man of your caliber ought to be ashamed to be seen in the company of commoners."

"As for you Mimosa, I heard you were promptly wounded in battle and removed yourself from the front lines. Your ineptitude is making royal House Vermillion a laughing stock.." Mimosa gasped, her cheeks bright with shame, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

I felt a rage I briefly felt at the market with Vanessa. However, this was tenfold. It was boiling my blood, it was a seething anger. The tightness of my chest was from the injustice of these Magic Knights. Mimosa was such a kind spirit, helping those she barely knew, only because it was in her nature.

As if reading my emotion, Alecdora glared at me, "You stay out of this, Diamond scum, if you know what's good for you. Why the Wizard King deemed you worthy enough to join is a laughable matter. Every mage in here is itching for a reason to attack. If you so much as lift a finger, one of us will strike you down where you stand."

I gulped, shaking out of anger, but he was right. I had no place to stand and judge but it didn't mean it was right.

Who did they think they were? They boasted proudly for mages who hadn't even been on the dungeon missions.

Just when I didn't think my anger could intensify, the mage that compared Asta to a rat jeered, "Now Alecdora, we all know who's the most inept person here, and it isn't poor little Mimosa. Right Noelle?"

He came up behind her and I choked on the last remnants of my pastry when he poured his glass of wine all over Noelle. My nostrils flared and I scrambled for a glass of water to wash down the food, Alecdora's words forgotten.

The girl slowly turned, horror on her face. "Why Solid? Why would you do that?" Noelle was pleading for an answer, my eyes darted between the two, noticing their similar features. _No, there's no way…_

"And to your own sister!" Klaus cried, confirming my suspicions.

Solid continued on like he hadn't heard Klaus. "You can't even control your own magic. Could there be any greater disgrace than you?"

To hear such nonsense from a 'top' Magic Knight intensified my anger.

_These_ were the top of the Magic Knights? The very best? The ones that stood at the summit? It left a bitter taste in my mouth, these _people_ were nothing but bullies. They knew _nothing_ of Asta, Mimosa, Noelle, or anyone. They weren't there to see for themselves.

But here they stood, having the audacity to puff their chests and peacock around. Worst thing, no one was doing a _thing_. We all watched, as Noelle's siblings ganged up on her, attacking her for no reason, unprovoked. It was shameful, it was like I was bound in place by an unseen force as the events went down.

"Wasn't killing our mother enough?" The cold voice sent shivers down my spine. It was so cold, a hatred that chilled my bones. _How could he say that?_

Noelle turned to leave, when Asta, seemingly the only one of us to do anything held her back. "You don't need to run away from people like this, Noelle." To my surprise, he climbed on to the table, standing above the nobles. "You were invited here by the Wizard King, so I figured you had to be pretty amazing. But you're just like the rest of them, aren't you? Commoner, rat, disgrace, failure, do you think I care if I fit in with you people? Watch, because I will-"

A swirl of sand encased Asta's form as quick as a whip, I gasped, I hadn't thought it would actually come to this, to spells. His words had struck the nobles for sure, anger being the quickest reaction.

Asta sliced through the spell like it was _nothing._ His sword was held out proudly in one hand, the same sword that Julius had struggled to wield. _Is this the power of anti-magic?_ Alecdora's spell was strong, meant for subduing and capturing a foe. To Asta, it was like cutting butter. "Not a chance!"

Alecdora wisely took a step back, gasping in anger. "How dare you!"

The blond pointed his sword in the direction of the sputtering noble. "Now you better listen up, 'cause I wasn't done talking. I'm gonna get results like no one else. I'll do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King and prove you wrong!"

I gasped then. Asta, he was candid with the words. There was a deep conviction as he stood proudly and without fear. In that moment, I believed him too. Asta would one day be the Wizard King. It was his destiny.

To the rest of the room; it was a huge offense. Spells went flying, all aiming for Asta. One by one, he dispelled them, right before sending one back. It was incredible, watching him. By the looks of Noelle and Mimosa, the girls agreed. They were watching the exchange with rapt attention, similar patterns of red on their faces.

The fascination didn't last very long, melting quickly into horror as an entirely new spell was thrown at Asta. It took the form of a golem and crushed Asta between its palms. This was insanity using such a disabling spell to silence one boy.

Seconds ticked by where Asta struggled to get out, his body held back by the Alecdora's spell. I barely heard the Golden Dawn member go off on a spiel. I was far too incensed, my mind running through as many scenarios where I would survive if I interfered. But I had to do something.

Especially when one of Noelle's brothers, Solid, began cackling hysterically. He raised his grimoire, winding up for a vicious spell as he spoke. "Restraining him is not enough. Presumptuous fellows like this need their lessons beaten into them."

Noelle pleaded with her brother. "Please, Solid! No! Don't do this!" Her cries were ignored as Solid's sickly face began to twist, becoming unhinged. Asta was in _danger_.

"This will shut that mouth of yours for good!"

"No! Solid, please!"

I slowly reached to summon my grimoire, the energy being to crackle inside me. Yuno appeared to have the same idea, his hand slightly fidgeting as it got closer to the grimoire on his hip. The water formed a bullet and Solid launched it before I could react.

I let out a scream as the bullet raced towards Asta. It was going to hit him! _Why can't I move?_ I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to see the impact, but it never came. The sand exploded with a puff and Asta stood in the middle of it, another thinner sword in hand. He looked every bit the triumphant winner.

Solid however? Well, he was on his knees, the force of the spell dissipating knocked him down. I thought it was quite fitting. I don't think Solid agreed, as he angrily stood, obviously not learning his lesson. "You'll pay for striking back at me!"

This time, I would stop him. I moved forward, my grimoire began discreetly flipping pages as I settled on my mana draining spell. My mana levels were higher than Solid's so this would not hurt as it did back at the Black Bulls' base.

Before I could cast it, the very air I breathed was sucked out, frozen. I gasped as I felt the cold wrap itself around my rib cage, freezing me in place. I heard similar gasps and it was a small comfort to know it wasn't just me being affected like this. It took me a moment to realize that this was a magic power. And it was the worst kind. _So c-cold._ My cloak's warming enchantments did nothing to dispel the arctic chill in my bones.

It was suffocating. It was _terrifying_. The air was so _cold_ and _heavy._ The room had gone silent, the only sound were the steps of the mage who cast this frightening aura. It was Noelle's oldest brother. The Captain of the Silver Eagles, Nozel Silva. _So, he's a captain too. Same as Yami._ I found him infinitely more intimidating. This man was pure ice, cold and unfeeling. I began to panic the longer the pressure continued.

"Nozel. What are you doing?" Solid said, his voice shaky. No longer was he angry or confident. He was uncertain now in the face of his brother and captain.

"Enough, Solid. You shouldn't be so quick to use your magic on a commoner." Nozel's voice was as cold as his magic.

"B-but he deserved it!" Where Solid found the courage to defy this man, I had no idea.

Nozel was not a man to repeat himself, irritation littered his face as he spoke one last time, glaring at his younger brother. "I said, enough. Do you wish to sully the house name Silva with your antics?"

Just when I thought it was over, Nozel turned his steely glare at me for a second, until he moved it to Asta. "A commoner challenging royalty. I wonder how I should punish you." _Oh no, we're going to die. It's all over now. This is Julius's fault. Damn him and his stupid eyes, I should have known better than to fall for a pretty face._

Our savior came in the form of a burning hearth. Heat ebbed from my left and I stared, slack-jawed as another man challenged Nozel, his magic a direct opposition to him. "This has gone on long enough. What are you thinking? Ganging up on a lone youth, where is your sense of honor?"

The pressure was gone before I knew it. I heard Leopold laugh, "It seems Mimosa was right. You _are_ strong." So they did know each other. "Ha! Today is your lucky day! Because today, I, Leopold Vermillion declare you my rival!" Leopold exclaimed, pointing at the confused Asta. Leopold laughed deeply, "now what was your name again? Casta or something?"

"No Leopold, it's Asta, remember? I told you!" Mimosa rushed to the boy's side. Leopold looked at her before grinning.

"Asta, that's right! And a fine name it is, rival of mine."

What the hell was going on? One moment he was about to tear Asta apart, now he wanted to be friends? _Then again, Leopold only put down Yuno's work, not Asta's. Still, it's a total one eighty._

Leopold continued on his ramble with Asta. Yuno speaking for the first time during this exchange, asked Mimosa the question we all had in mind. "So, you're related?"

She nodded, "yes, that's right. Fuegoleon and Leopold are my cousins on my father's side. Fuegoleon and Leopold are brothers. My father's eldest brother is their father. Oh and you know Noelle is my cousin too. Her mother was my mother's eldest sister."

I exhaled sharply. That was a whole lot of information to take in. Royalty seemed messy. Why was everyone related to each other? The room's atmosphere had lessened, it felt much more lighthearted, some were even laughing. Maybe not all the nobles were bad, just those few.

I felt safe enough to pick out another cupcake, licking the light raspberry taste, and watching Asta and Leopold tussle. Despite the disaster of earlier, the banquet could have been almost _nice_. It was normal.

"A royal has recognized a commoner as his rival. Truly?" Nozel whispered. Though it was a whisper, it carried through the room, chilling. To my displeasure, the ice cold pressure was starting to mount up again.

The same man from before, Leopold brother, Fuegoleon stood back up, his own power climbing as well. "Remember Nozel, the Wizard King himself invited this young man to attend the ceremony. He is a commoner, but we can still extend him a measure of acceptance." _Go, Fuegoleon!_

Nozel was not one to be intimidated. "I would have never expected to hear such nonsense being spouted by a royal. I'm sorry to see how soft House Vermillion has grown." _Ouch, that's a little harsh._ "You're a disgrace to the family, Fuegoleon." _Oh my divines, that was ruthless._

"What did you say?"

"As an eagle soaring the sky, how could I ever accept an insect who crawls upon the ground?"

With those words, magic pressure exploded, the dishes clattered and the temperature vastly differed. My chest felt like it would split open, this dangerous display of mana was impossibly dense. The very air felt like weights.

Just as the room would surely combust in a fiery show of ice and fire, the double doors burst open and we all turned away from the showdown of the captains, interested in this new intruder. "I'm terribly sorry but there's an emergency!" A harried man gasped out.

"What is the meaning of this, coming here and interrupting?" Nozel Silva glared at the poor man. My dislike for the mercury mage increased, the mage was only doing his job.

To his credit, the man looked unfazed as he grabbed his side, no doubt sprinting all the way here. "There's an attack! On the Royal Capital! We need all ground forces!"

Silence befell the room. No one was expecting that answer. Fuegoleon cleared his throat, seeming to take on the role of the leader. "What do you mean the royal capital is under attack?"

Shiren, a Golden Dawn mage who had been entirely silent until now, spoke. "I'll use my stone creation magic." His grimoire slipped open, his mana a light orange color. "Stone Model of the World will show us." In seconds, a _live_ stone model of the royal realm surfaced in front of our eyes. It was astounding how quickly it formed. I could vividly see the layout of the royal capital, hear the screams of the people as they ran, how fire seemed to consume all.

For a brief moment, it felt like no one would move, I was certainly bound in place. Then Asta, rambunctious as always shouted something about helping and going where it was 'loudest' before promptly fleeing the room, his sword out.

Leopold let out a deep guffaw, completely unconcerned with the state of the capital and took off running after Asta.

Fuegoleon sighed, shaking his head before stepping closer to the model of the realm. He cleared his throat, looking like the leader of any country. It was clear he was taking the reins. "It may chafe you to take orders from me. Still, we must act now. I'll go after Leo and the Black Bull boy, and once I've secured them, we'll head to the north." He left no room for argument, not that anyone would disagree.

His grimoire spilled open and a giant, flaming lion bowed before Fuegoleon. He mounted the lion before pointing at Noelle. "Black Bull girl, you're with me." Noelle gasped, surprised at being called.

"Blue Rose Knights, you head east." It seemed clear that the squads were sticking together.

"Golden Dawn, split into two teams." My heart began to pound as I realized what was going on. _He's assigning them._ I frowned, where did I fit in all this? "One heads northwest, the other west." Mimosa smiled sympathetically as she passed me and went over to Yuno.

I didn't really want to get involved. It was terrifying to know that innocent people were under attack. _What could I do anyways? I have no attack skills. Besides, they don't know me. I doubt I would be trusted to help anyways._

"You there, Diamond girl." My eyebrows shot up and my heart pounded. Fuegoleon was staring at me expectantly. I blinked slowly.

_Me?_

"Yes you. Can you be of any help?" He was asking me to help. Without so much as blinking an eye, he extended a branch of faith. It was bizarre, to be asked to protect the Kingdom I once seeked to take down.

My eyes shifted to the stone model and the loud screams coming off it. The poor townspeople were being terrorized, praying for some miracle to come and help them. I _wanted_ to help. "Yes." I nodded firmly.

He held my gaze for a moment, searching for something. Then he gave me a curt nod. "Good. Then you and the Silver Eagles, take the central district, where the enemy is the strongest." My heart plummeted. Fuegoleon was surely jesting?

Solid and Nebra visibly recoiled, with Nozel turning a fine shade of red. The mana levels shot through the roof. I couldn't be with this family. They would tear me apart.

"Fuegoleon, what is the meaning of this? Surely you aren't seriously. What good could Diamond scum like her do? I wouldn't be surprised if she started helping the invaders." Nozel barked, the room going silent.

I gasped, "I would never-"

Nozel glared at me, "Don't interrupt royalty." He looked at his cousin, "even you must realize how foolish it would be to bring her."

Fuegoleon merely lifted his hand to silence Nozel. "Be that is it may, I have my hands full with the Black Bulls' rookies. You are the only other person besides myself that I would be comfortable leaving her with. As a royal and a captain, your power would suffice in subduing her in any course of event."

"My power would _more_ than suffice." Was he agreeing now?

"Do I have your agreement?"

Nozel turned to glare at me again, his piercing eyes examined every inch of me. I felt cold before his gaze. His grimoire flipped open and he produced a large eagle, its wings spread. Nebra and Solid stepped onto its back and Nozel turned to Fuegoleon. "Very well. I'll heed your word this time, cousin."

"You, girl." Nozel's tone was cold and indifferent. "If you don't want to get left behind, I suggest you get on. Now." I gulped and hurried over to the eagle. I eyed the creature cautiously, half expecting it to dissipate as soon as I approached it. Gingerly stepping onto the back of it, I found myself in much tighter quarters. Solid was far too close to my left and Nebra stood closer to the front, with Nozel taking the very head of the eagle.

The wings began flap and a very crucial concern popped into my head. _What am I supposed to hold on to?_ It was very different from riding a broom. This thing shook with every flap of its wings. It seemed like a highly impractical way to get around. It seemed to be more for show than for utility. I stumbled forward on a particularly rough flap, taking Solid down with me.

"Hey! How dare you touch royalty!" Solid squealed, quickly getting to his feet and roughly yanking me up as well. "If we had left headquarters, I could have died!" He whined, a light flush on his weasel face as we flew above the skies, the smoke from the burning city a few yards away.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help it! I've never been on a mana eagle before! It takes some adjusting." I grumbled before a sharp, cold pain pierced my left arm and I gasped under the overwhelming power.

Nozel was glaring dangerously, "We do not have time for your antics. In case you forgot, we have a burning city. It is not the time to be behaving like a child. Unlike the Diamond Kingdom, we Clover Knights care for our people."

The cold increased as he spoke, making his points. "Do you understand me? We are about to enter a war zone. It is none of my concern if you survive or not. If not for the Wizard King and Fuegoleon, I would have cut you down like the rodent you are." I whimpered under the cold spell, his word cutting through me. How anyone could be so cruel was beyond me.

"Do you understand?" I yelped at the sharp pang of cold and nodded quickly. There was no reasoning with him and no time to explain my situation. At this point, I would agree to anything to get this cold to end. "Good-" loud screams coming from the ground had us swan diving to the source of the sounds. I held in my screams as my stomach floated up at the sudden jerk.

The eagle landed gracefully amidst all the smoke and the Silvas jutted out, grimoires wide open. As trained Magic Knights do, they sprung into action immediately, firing off spell after spell. I faintly heard someone cheer but I was too focused on the horror awaiting us. There was fire everywhere-and the _screams,_ they were so loud…

A noblewoman pushed past me, roughly knocking into my shoulder. Pain bloomed from the impact, but I couldn't find it in me to care.

*******

_It was a beautiful village, a rare jewel hidden away in the mountains of Diamond Kingdom. Lush foliage surrounded the village, tall trees and its valley location hid it from most eyes._

_Small as it was, the people were friendly. They waved us in, cheering us on as we headed to the town square. Children greeted us as we marched into town. One girl tugged on my cloak and offered me a flower chain. I took it, stopping in my stride, letting the group of the mages I was with go ahead without me. I crouched down to the girl's level, putting my hands on my knees._

_She shrieked, shyly hiding behind a tree. Her curious head peeked out from behind it, watching to see what I would do. I smiled at the shy child and held out the flower chain. "Did you make this?"_

_She nodded. Slipping the flower chain over my clothes, I flipped my grimoire open and manipulated the mana into a similar daisy chain. By now, the girl had stepped away from the tree and was now openly gawking at me. "What's that?" She asked as I added the finishing details to the chain._

" _It's a flower chain, I made it out of my magic. In my opinion, yours is much prettier." I held out the mana chain to her, her eyes wide as she slowly reached for it._

" _Are you giving this to me?" I nodded, "why?"_

" _Friends give each other gifts, don't they?" The girl smiled brightly and slipped the chain on as well. She seemed so happy, I couldn't bear to tell her that it would dissolve in a few hours. I heard my name being called, no doubt my squad was getting tired of waiting for me. "Well, that's my cue, I have to leave now. It was nice meeting you." I stood up and dusted off my robes, smiling at girl one last time._

_It would have been nice to remember her that way, instead of her last dying screams. I would never remember the village as a beautiful calm place, instead it was forever etched in my mind as a place to die._

*******

I felt frozen as I saw the burning buildings and the screaming people. What was I _doing_ here? I wanted a peaceful life, easy. I _couldn't_ help anyone. Not when I was so often a prisoner in my mind.

What I didn't want was a rehash of my past. I took a step back, bumping into something solid. I turned, apology dying on my lips when _it_ groaned. It was something grotesque, perfectly described out of a horror novel. The rotting flesh emitted waves of putrid stench, the kind to twist my stomach.

Its gnarled arm reached for me, a deathly strength lied under those wiry limbs. I backed away, a silent scream escaping my lips, I was going to _die._

A stream of water rushed passed me and hit the creature, the force of it tearing the thing apart. Its body parts flew a few feet away, landing with a wet sound. I gasped and turned, Solid was huffing, looking somewhat concerned, his grimoire lazily floating in my direction. I stared at him with wide eyes. Terrible as he was, I owed him my life.

"Thank you-"

"That's the last of these creatures in this square, we need to join up with the other squads. Let the guards take out any stragglers." Nozel interrupted. Had they really taken out so many creatures at once? It had felt like it had been five minutes since we arrived. "As for you, I told Fuegoleon it was a mistake bringing you. You stood there frozen, you did not open your grimoire, you didn't even bring it, you did _nothing_. If it weren't for Solid's lapse in judgement, you would be dead." Nozel's words were unnecessarily heartless. Yes, I _used_ to belong to the Diamond Kingdom, but he was going very far to show his disdain for me.

Even Solid, the little worm that he was, thought so. "Nozel, it's not her fault. We're royalty after all, how could she possibly keep up?" His eyes flitted to me and I saw a skip of something akin to sympathy in them.

"As that is, I have no use for such weakness." Nozel's eyes were flashing at me, his tongue biting. "Make yourself useful and get lost. I care not if you survive, I'm sure anyone else would agree."

Tears brimmed in my eyes, threatening to drop if I so much as blinked. I could not argue back because he was _right_. No one would miss a Diamond mage gone missing. Especially in a time like this.

My knees buckled but I forced them to move as I started off in a dead sprint, no idea of where I was heading, all I knew was that I needed to leave. I faintly heard Solid's half-hearted calling but forced my legs to move faster. I vaguely worried about running into another one of those things, but like Nozel said, it was of no one's concern if I lived or not.

My fate was completely in my hands. _What an awful thing to entrust to me of all people._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so bear with me, I know this chapter wasn't super fluffy and it follows the arc so it's not the MOST exciting thing but I hoped you enjoyed it nonetheless. The next chapter will also contain more action, this is a romance with lots of smut but we gotta lay the groundwork first. The reader will not only seduce the Wizard King in this story but the point is to eventually create a happy life in the CK and that means friendships, bumps along the road, unforeseen events and who knows what else. 
> 
> As always, thank you all for taking the time to read my burning pile of trash, I truly appreciate every hit, kudo, comment, and bookmark. Honestly, I just want more peeps to get into Black Clover.


	6. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nozel's harsh words trigger self doubt and an encounter with a particular Gel Mage shake things up. So much for peace and quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I tried. Really hard. I have never written any action sequences so I hope it's okay! This is also the longest one so far! I posted a little early but that's thanks to all you wonderful readers!

_**Black Clover** _

_**VI** _

*******

" _That's the last of these creatures in this square, we need to join up with the other squads. Let the guards take out any stragglers." Nozel interrupted. Had they really taken out so many creatures at once? It had only been five minutes since we arrived. "As for you, I told Fuegoleon it was a mistake bringing you. You stood there frozen, you did not open your grimoire, you did nothing. If it weren't for Solid's lapse in judgement, you would be dead." Nozel's words were unnecessarily heartless. Yes, I used to belong to the Diamond Kingdom, but he was going very far to show his disdain for me._

_Even Solid, the little worm that he was, thought so. "Nozel, it's not her fault. We're royalty after all, how could she possibly keep up?"_

" _As that is, I have no use for such weakness." Nozel's eyes were flashing at me, his tongue biting. "Make yourself useful and get lost. I care not if you survive, I'm sure anyone else would agree."_

_Tears brimmed in my eyes, threatening to drop if I so much as blinked. I could not argue back because he was right. No one would miss a Diamond mage gone missing. Especially in a time like this._

_My knees buckled but I forced them to move as I started off in a dead sprint, no idea of where I was heading, all I knew was that I needed to leave. I faintly heard Solid's half-hearted calling but forced my legs to move faster. I vaguely worried about running into another one of those things, but like Nozel said, it was of no one's concern if I lived or not._

_My fate was completely in my hands. What an awful thing to entrust to me of all people._

My boots clicked against the stone floors as I ran. I was short of breath, tears burned my eyes, I could feel a stitch in my side, and my heart felt like it could burst. I didn't know where my feet were taking me, they moved of their own will, and it didn't really matter.

The smoke in the air made it hard to see more than a few feet in front of me. I let out a cough, _I need to get away from all this fire. But which way do I go?_ It wasn't as simple as it seemed. Everywhere I turned, there was something on fire, obscuring my vision.

The entire city was burning. _Burning and I can't do anything to stop it._ I turned a corner and skidded to a stop, letting my back lean against a stone wall. My breathing was heavy, my chest hurt from the force of my inhales. _I just need a little break, just a moment to gather my wits._

As my breathing evened out, I let out a shaky sigh. Why did I freeze like that? Yes, I was a little rusty, to say the least but there was no excuse for my lack of action. Harsh as Nozel's words had been, he was right. _To think, if it hadn't been for that jerk, I would have died._ I always assumed death would come for me sooner than later but to have to face it so early, so head on, made me rethink myself. It shook whatever faith I had in my abilities.

_Ha, if this is all I'm good for, it's no wonder the Diamond Kingdom hasn't searched for me. Whatever power or skill I did have, it was long ago, withered by the time. Now? I'm no better than a shell of who I was._

Years ago, this would have not been an issue. Before that attack on the village so long ago, before the consequences of attack magic took a toll on me, rendering my ability obsolete, I was proficient in fighting, we all were.

Besides the attack magic, I particularly excelled in the transfer mana to my comrades, I could instantly replenish their mana, drawing it from the earth, giving them access to unlimited streams of mana. It worked in the opposite way as well. I could steal the enemy's magic and use it for myself or even channel it into my allies. The years made me _weak_. I was _weak._ It was all becoming clearer.

My hand was still shaking when I pushed my hair behind my ear. I ran my fingers through the tangled mess of hair, trying in vain to smooth it out. I gasped, the small pins in my hair fell to the ground with soft pings, my eyes widened in horror. The pressure in the air was gone. Like a rock settling in my stomach, one thing came to the head of my thoughts. Dread.

Scarcely believing it, I tossed out a small vine of mana, feeling for other sources. Mana tended to group together, much like water drops filling a pool. We all may have different affinities for mana but we all shared the mana of the earth. It tied us all together. One thread of mana would join with the surrounding mana if released, because of this, my vine should have been met with the Silvas. But it was missing. It was all _gone_. The magic power that belonged to the Silva's was gone. It vanished into thin air, one second there, and the next gone. Something that overwhelming didn't just evaporate into thin air like that.

I was running back before I could think about the possibilities. It wasn't like they had left, leaving me to return to the castle, this was a sudden disappearance. I turned the corner, stumbling into a low, wooden fence as I rounded it too quickly. I ignored the dull pain on my side as I stood back in the square I had last seen the family. _It was foolish of me to run away like that. I could have helped! If something happened to them because they were outnumbered..._ I braced myself for the worst case scenario as I slowed to a stop.

The only thing that remained where the slain bodies that littered the courtyard. Other than that, not a single feather was in sight. If they were attacked, it wasn't here. I knew my best options were to get to the nearest squad, as much as I wanted to run away, it was my obligation to report this incident. What if something had gotten to them?

There were no live enemies, from what I could see, but I couldn't see _much._ Some of the fire had died down and the area was all but abandoned, but there was an eerie feel to the air, as if something wasn't quite right. I ducked into an empty house, untouched by flames, and shut the door behind me quietly.

I cautiously crawled over to a wall, and sat down, facing the door. The house had plenty of paintings depicting a family of five. A family that had been smart enough to evacuate. They looked happy. _Don't worry, I'm only borrowing your house for a few minutes, forgive me._ I needed a course of action, stat.

_Okay, so I'm in the central district, that means if everyone is where they were supposed to be, I could head towards any direction. But which squad is closest?_ I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to focus on the mana around me. I needed to find a significant source, if it was nearby, I would sense it. For a moment, panic seized my chest when I felt _no_ source of mana anywhere, every direction my mana tendrils felt out was met with the absence of magic power.

I crinkled my eyebrows, it was like all the squads had vanished… I picked up regular levels of mana, but a squad of Magic Knights would undoubtedly produce more mana than a townsfolk or a cat. It would have pulled my mana in its direction. It was odd that I felt nothing. _Maybe we're further apart than I thought._ Still, I needed to keep trying. My regular magic wasn't enough, if there was magic power around, it was out of anyone's radius, even mine. I needed to use a spell. I had just the one, too.

I flipped my grimoire open, stopping it on the spell I needed. I stood up and squared my shoulders, thin tendrils of lilac energy drew from the book, invisible to anyone else's eye. I forced my mana further, nearly breaking sweat with my concentration. _There!_ It was a haze of lilac petals to the North, _Where Fuegoleon said he was going._

My joy was short lived when I sensed another force. There was a darker mana, this one a deep violet, different from the usually pale lavender color mana seemed to favor. It wasn't the regular flow of petals gliding in the wind, this was a flurry of a storm. This was _evil._ Whatever it was, it was bad and that meant trouble. I needed to help somehow. I walked across the house, reaching for the door. My hand closed around the doorknob before recoiling back. Nozel's earlier words resurfaced along with my self doubt. _Should I even go? It's not like I can help. I would just do more harm than good at this point. I'm just a waste of space-_

_No, I can't think like that. Fuegoleon said he was going after Asta, that means that not only is he in danger, Asta, Noelle, and Leo are in too. Whatever I am, I need to do something!_

I swung the door open and readied myself to step outside once again. It was much quieter now. I didn't take the time to research my surroundings well, I needed to get to the others. I followed the trail of petals, running as to get there faster.

So far, I had encountered no enemies. How had the Silvas alone taken down so many enemies? It was eerie, seeing the piles of bodies as I ran by, half-expecting one of them to jump out at me. The further I got down, the more my suspicions were growing. It wasn't just the Silvas that had mysteriously disappeared. It was like a ghost-town, the citizens had probably evacuated by now so that wasn't the real issue. The problem was that there were no sources of mana and the Knights were missing.

There was no way they had left so quickly, there had to be someone cleaning up the bodies or something.

I continued forward, my eyes catching a strange ebb of mana, and I skidded to a stop. My mouth opened in horror and it was too late to retreat. A group of ten or so of those rotting corpses were roaming around the street I was heading. Apparently, they had missed these. My movements had caught their attention and now they halted, staring at me.

There was a brief half second where I idly wonder what deity I had angered in a past life to deserve this kind of fortune. Then I wondered if they would attack me if I slowly backed away, with no sudden movements. It worked on lions. Or was it bears?

Suddenly, they lunged towards me. I let out a sharp screech. Their steps were surprisingly quick, betraying their heavy groans. One got close and swiped at my arm, lightly scraping it as I dodged at the last second. Reacting quickly, I used the first spell in my arsenal, my heart thumping wildly as the bodies froze in place before shuddering and crumpling to the ground, lifeless.

It was surprising, for sure, taking down so many enemies at once. _So they aren't as strong as they seem. For all the damage they caused, they had very little mana._ I had completely absorbed their mana, cutting them off from the world. It happened to anything that got the mana sucked out of them all at once, they would inevitably crumple up and die a painless death. These creatures were no exception, their mana had filled my own reserves and now they were one hundred percent full. I flexed my arm. That was a close one for sure, the zombies or whatever had gotten very close. I hoped there were no further encounters with these creatures, I could not use attack spells, but _maybe I could get by with just magic absorption…_

I shook my head and continued heading north, not giving the bodies a second glance. I was getting closer, I could see the mana on my own, and put my grimoire away. That darker mana was still there and then- _no! There's another magical signature, but this one is laying down, it's not moving at all. It almost looks like whatever it is, it's waiting. For what?_

I slowed in my steps as I heard Asta's screams in the distant. He was no doubt a few streets over. I felt a smidgen of relief, that meant a certain sense of safety. At least safety in numbers. There were some groans behind me and without hesitation, I pulled the mana out of whatever was behind me and nearly screamed from the pain.

It felt like hot lava was flowing through my veins. I had overdone it, my mana had capped off and I forced more mana than I could handle in my body. I heard two thuds, the empty bodies, now drained of mana crumpled to the ground. I sighed and released the excess mana back into the ground. That felt significantly easier, maybe I wasn't as useless as Nozel claimed.

To my horror, as soon as I released the mana, the creatures stirred back to life. I gaped. So these weren't actual monsters, the amount of mana I took would have killed them, these were _dolls_. They weren't actually alive, mana was the only thing binding them in place. I couldn't take in any more mana, and I couldn't release it. As the corpses got closer, I summoned up a mana shield.

The shield encased my body in a lilac orb, it was resistant to mana attacks and had increased durability. It sealed up just in time, the creatures lunged themselves at me, their bodies sliding off the orb. It seemed like a decent plan but I was now trapped, they called attention to themselves, more of their kind joining in on the action.

There were so many of them. I cursed my hastiness, if I had only hesitated a while longer… I was quickly running out of options. My mana levels were too full to handle any more absorptions. I had overdone it with the smaller group earlier, the excess mana making me sluggish. I could transfer the mana back to the earth but these things were feeding off the mana that permeated the air. With no one else around to absorb it, if I released any mana they would simply swallow it up.

I had to destroy them, attack them so fiercely that their bodies would cease to work. Any mage would have been able to attack, a few spells and these things would go down. The Silvas had taken them out easily, using a few strong spells, wiping them out in about five minutes. But could I do the same? I shook my head and sighed.

_That's not an option._ Without any attack spells, it would prove impossible to take out these creatures. Sure, I could make shield after shield but my true skills lied in the transfer of mana from one person to another, I couldn't truly defend myself.

There were much too many of these rotting corpses advancing on me to spend any time, energy, or focus on summoning an attack spell. _If only I could cast one off like I did in the forest, but that was on pure instinct. I can't reproduce the same effects now!_

They were banging on my shields, trying to crack the mana and get to me. _I could try running through them?_ I tried to push myself forward but they were as heavy as well, bodies. I didn't get very far and now they were climbing over each other, almost covering the shield. I squeezed my eyes shut, this was something out of the scariest, most terrifying, horrifying nightmare. _What do I do?_

There was decidedly a god when a ray of bright blue mana shot through the stone walls, piercing the zombies and effectively wounding them beyond repair, destroying them. The force of the spell had worn at my shield, cracking it. It was easy to cast another one, unsure if I was in danger or not.

I peered into the hole in the stone wall, such a force had broken clean through, a perfect circle in the middle of this wall. Squinting my eyes to make sense of what was going on, what I saw blew me away. _Is that Fuegoleon?_ I moved a little closer to the hole, it was them. Asta and Fuegoleon. They were fighting someone but I couldn't see who because the enemy's back was to me. It was weird, they seemed kind of far away. What had caused that intense spell?

"Sol Linia!" Fuegoleon baritone shouted, I couldn't see what was going on but the fire mage had cast some sort of spell. I squeaked and threw myself down to the ground right before another bright blue ray shot through the wall, missing me by a few inches. _Holy shit! Is that Fuegoleon's spell?_ I nearly died!

They were so far away from me, his spell had pierced through three stone walls, a distance of at least thirty yards. If it hadn't almost killed me, I would have been fascinated. Okay, so I was a _little_ interested in such a spell. Were all the captains this strong? _No wonder so many of those creatures had been taken down so quickly._

What kind of _spell_ was that? If Julius had been here to see that… _Hold on, where is Julius?_ If the Royal Capital was under attack, surely he had to be near right? _Maybe he's protecting the king? If I was the ruler of a country and we were attacked, I guess I would want a strong mage protecting me. But then again, wouldn't it be better to have your strongest mage fight?_

I knew Julius was the last person I needed to worry about, but I still did. He had been called away so early, and he was worried about something, no matter how much he tried to mask it, I could tell something was bothering him. Was it a warning about this? Was there a bigger, much deadlier opponent to take down?

I had no idea what was going on and the lack of control and information was driving me crazy. Who was attacking the Clover Kingdom and why? It couldn't be the Diamond Kingdom, though the thought briefly crossed my mind. This was not a normal invasion, there were no soldiers from another country, no sign of any ties to any loyalties. All there was was those grotesque bodies.

I picked myself up and shook off my cloak. All this rubble was a bit of a nuisance. Asta and Fuegoleon were nearby, only two streets over, but they were engaged in a fight. Would it be a good idea to help? I had too. I squared my shoulders and started heading for them, a new sense of courage instilled in me. _I can do this. I can help._

"Well what do we have here? A Magic Knight that didn't get swept away by the spatial magic?" The nasal, sing-songy voice sent shivers down my spine and I loathed to turn around. I hadn't sensed _anyone_ , had she been hiding her magical presence? I deemed myself safe and that was my mistake. My sensitivity to mana only worked if I was focused, untroubled. In the midst of the fighting, my heart was weighed down terribly. _Spatial magic? Is that why all the magic disappeared? Did the Magic Knights get sent away? That many?_ "No~ you're not wearing any Magic Knight robes. Turn around so I can see who you are."

In hindsight, I should have run away. My body was screaming for me to run, my instincts were making my knees buckle. It was like before, I was frozen in fear. Loathe as I did and despite my better instincts, I turned to face the mysterious newcomer.

She had brown hair and was young. Very young, she seemed to be close to my age. Her eyes were peering at me curiously over her thick-rimmed glasses. Overall, to any person she appeared nonthreatening, perfectly normal. In the middle of this invasion, her pupils were dilated, as if the bloodshed pleased her, her eyes were brimming with an insatiable search for knowledge. She lifted an arm, pointing it at me. It was then that I noticed her white robe, like a doctor's jacket, it sat over her rather skimpy outfit.

_That doesn't seem very practical for this situation._ Was she was Magic Knight? If she was, she wasn't at the banquet. "Are you a Magic Knight?" I asked. Her face immediately crumpled, those red eyes gleamed darker. _No, she's not a knight. I don't even think she's from the Clover Kingdom._ Her robe, it had an interesting design on it. Completely white with a black stripe and three golden circles on it. I had no idea what I could have meant. I just knew she wasn't a Magic Knight but I was so unfamiliar with the customs here, she could have been anyone.

"Hi there, my name's Sally. What's your name?" The girl was asking nicely, ignoring my previous question as if trying to disarm me. It was telling, how she left the question unanswered, and I knew that I wasn't about to tell her my name. I was right because the longer I stayed silent, her own mana levels started building, my silence caused her some irritation.

"You know it's rude not to answer when a direct question is asked."

"Well you didn't answer my question either." I pointed out.

Sally cackled, "Ooh, I like you. You're pretty sharp. Such a shame." She shook her head, the movement ominous.

"What's a shame?"

She smiled at me conspiratorially. "That I'm gonna have to kill you~" My eyes widened before a rush of magic flew past my left shoulder, nearly grazing me with it. "Gel magic!"

_Jelly what?_ I jumped backwards as another attack went my way. Sally had excellent aim it appeared, my movements were barely fast enough to dodge her attacks. Her spells were sent with the intent to kill. This was much more dangerous than some lifeless puppets. Was she part of the invasion? The Silvas had been so confident in their ability to clean out the square, had that simply been the first wave? Was it designed to distract them from the bigger enemy? Was she the bigger enemy?

My thoughts clouded my mind and when Sally sent another, particularly nasty looking spell my way, a small amount of it scraped my arm, dodging too late. I gasped, the area of where it hit started melting though my cloak, sizzling, the fabric steaming. Another bullet scraped passed my other arm, melting the same, twin holes. I had to take it off, holding back tears as my prized possession hit the ground with a small puff of dust. I could salvage it, I couldn't salvage my life if it forfeited.

_Her spell was that strong? To burn through my cloak so easily when it has defensive layers protecting it from burns._ I knew I could not afford to let that jelly or smile, or whatever it was hit me. "Stop moving so much! It's hard to hit you like that." Sally laughed, enjoying her twisted game of tag.

Without my cloak, I felt exposed, physically and mentally. "Jelly magic creation: Jelly Spear!" I conjured up a shield as the spear headed right through me, the spear catching on the orb, penetrating the first layer of it before getting stuck. My chest heaved up and down, if there had been any more power in that spell, the spear would have completely pierced through, hitting me.

_Seems her skills aren't at the level of a captain. Fuegoleon's spell cut through my shield like nothing._ She threw another one without hesitating, forcing me to conjure another shield faster than I normally was able to. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I thought about my next move.

I knew one thing, I couldn't keep deflecting her spells, I had to fight back somehow. Sally cackled from her spot, "You're pretty neat, but it's time for playtime to be over." I furrowed my eyebrows as Sally lifted her hands again, her grimoire raised behind her. She was gearing up for a bigger attack.

My left foot stepped back and I steadied myself. "Gel magic: Magic Salamander!" My jaw dropped open when the pink mana formed itself into a large, towering salamander, big enough for Sally to get on its back. She smirked at me, "go!" The mana amphibian began charging towards me.

_What do I do?_ Panicking, I scrambled for an idea, going for the first thing that popped into my mind. Unfortunately, it was a stupid one. I thrust my hands in the air, pointing them at the salamander. I poured mana _into_ the thing, feeding it. For a dreaded moment, I wondered if I had just signed my death. Then to my surprise, the salamander began to slow down, coming to a full stop right in front of me.

Sally frowned, banging on the jelly creature's head. "Hey, why'd yah stop?" she looked at me, confused. I ignored her and continued filling. Like a balloon with far too much air, the salamander exploded with a _pop!,_ smearing Sally and the nearby rocks with the gel.

"How did you make it explode?" Sally asked, wiping the stuff off her face. She was staring at me intently, her red eyes gleamed. "Just what type of magic do you have? I didn't see a grimoire."

"Like I would tell you anything." I spat out. "Why are you attacking me? Are you invading the capital? Why would you want to hurt the innocent people?" I demanded, anger seeping into my body.

Sally cackled, tossing her head back. "I'm not telling you! That's the whole point of a secret. Now, impressive as that was, don't think I'm done with you. Gel Magic: Magic Salamander!" My eyes widened as she cast the same spell again, the large creature already towered over me. "I don't think you can do the same thing twice." _Oh, yeah? Watch me!_ I emptied all the mana I had into the salamander, even my personal reserves had been emptied on that one spell. I was empty on magic but I could try absorbing some of Sally's magic, refilling wasn't a problem.

I set my face with determination, I would _not_ fall to her. Knowing that my earlier trick had worked boosted my confidence, churned out some long lost instinct, gave me the confidence of a me years ago.

As I let out a slow breath, time seemed to move slowly. My chest moved up and down with the movement, the air thick with anticipation. Then we both moved. Sally charged at me and I shifted my leg behind me slightly, gearing up for the contact.

I was looking at the salamander, focused on its every movement. It was that concentration that allowed Sally to cast another spell without my knowing it. I heard more than saw the stream of magic that swerved around the salamander, forming a lethal bullet.

Without thinking about it, without hesitation; I did something, something odd. My grimoire flipped open, the pages turning too quickly for me to see. The spell hit me full force but I felt no pain or _anything._ I flinched, what spell was I hit with? I felt an unknown presence flowing through my body.

Was that the _spell's_ mana flowing through my veins? I looked down at my hands, they tingled incessantly, I had never absorbed a spell before. Sure, I had taken mana from people, the earth, and even animals in a pinch, but never had I been able to stop a spell mid flight and absorb the mana it carried.

I blinked, that had never happened before. As if to prove me right, my grimoire was open towards the back, a new spell etching itself in my pages. _What in the world?_ Okay, weird.

"Huh?" Sally was looking at me sideways, her face inquisitive, as if seeing me for the first time. I stirred, nearly forgetting about the giant amphibian intent on eating me. I raised my palms, not entirely sure of the action, it felt right. To my complete and _utter_ disbelief: the spell I had just absorbed _shot out of my hands_ , striking the salamander directly. It doubled under the impact, flopping to the ground.

_What the hell kind of spell did I learn?_

"What was that? Who are you? You're a Magic Knight, aren't you?" Sally demanded accusingly. "You have to be, that spell wasn't strong enough to take down my salamander. You doubled its strength! What did you _do?_ "

"I'm not a Magic Knight." _I'm just someone who got stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time._

"Interesting, I wonder… Yep, I've decided." I eyed her cautiously. What had she decided? "I'm not going to kill you anymore." _Okay, I wasn't expecting that._

"Excuse me, did you just say you _weren't_ going to kill me?" I needed to make sure she understood what she was saying, Sally seemed the insane type, so maybe she didn't.

"That's exactly right!" She slid off the salamander and nimby landed on her feet. She placed her hands on her hips, observing me. Pushing the brim of her glasses up, she smiled toothily at me. "I'm gonna keep yah. I've never seen your type of magic before and come to think of it, I didn't see a grimoire on you, so I don't know how you did that much damage to my magic salamander. In fact," she was creeping closer to me, a strange fascination in her eyes, it scared me. "I bet you have _all kinds_ of secrets."

"Huh?" It was my turn to be confused.

"I'm gonna do so many experiments! I can't wait! I just imagine all the tests I could run…"

I reared backwards. _What the fuck?_ I thought Sally was odd but she was batshit insane, truly. "And just what," I tried to keep my voice steady as possible, "makes you think I'm _letting_ you come near me?"

Her red eyes looked more bloody, a lust for knowledge on her face. "Oh, you'll find you don't have much of a choice in that aspect."

I took a step back, needing distance between us, lots of distance. My back was met with a bouncing object. I slowly moved my hand backwards and felt what I bumped into. I stared at Sally's widening smile and I slowly began sinking into the very salamander I was trying to avoid.

It seemed, in distracting me, it had allowed Sally to direct the salamander to move behind me, blocking the path so I would be trapped. My bottom lip began to wobble. _Stupid! I was reckless, I was overconfident! I allowed myself to overestimate myself and underestimate her!_

I struggled in vain against the gelatinous substance but it sucked me in and would not allow me to remove myself. "See~ didn't I tell you you didn't have a choice? Now we're going to have so much fun! Not for a bit though, we still have to finish things here. I wasn't really even supposed to leave my post but I got bored." Sally grinned madly, "I'm so glad I did!"

_Then this wasn't supposed to happen._

My entire body was encased by the spell, my vision was now hazy, smudged. "Don't worry though, we'll get to play later." Her voice was muffled from the inside of the salamander.

_I need to do something, anything. I can't let this happen._ But it was happening whether I wanted to or not. I could not move my arms, everything was much too heavy, making any movement impossible. Even blinking was difficult.

Sally was muttering about something but I couldn't hear her. It was so _heavy_ and warm. I was feeling sleepy. I wanted to sleep. I needed to sleep.

I couldn't do much as I began to black out, little stars forming in the corner of my eyes, breathing was getting too hard. The salamander's gel was warm and constricting and I couldn't help but close my eyes and allow myself to get swallowed.

*******

_The sun's starting to set…_ Mimosa sighed, it had been such an ordeal to get the other Magic Knights to put aside their differences and work together to get back to the Capitol. The moment they had all been transported to this outskirts location nothing but arguing had occurred. It took much too long for the Senior Magic Knights to put their differences and remember the situation. Mimosa shivered just thinking about it, who could have done something that terrible? Attacking the Royal Capital and then transporting all the Magic Knights out?

It had all happened so suddenly too. One minute she was healing a bystander and then the next they were all kilometers away from the place they had just been. It drew so many concerns, like was the Capital still under attack? Who was defending it? Who was attacking? Those wraiths hadn't been strong enough to teleport them _all_ here. It was definitely spatial magic, but who could cast a spell that large?

Mimosa looked around as the other Knights poured their mana together next to her. There was a feeling of unease she couldn't shake. For one, Asta and Noelle weren't here. Yuno wasn't either but Mimosa wasn't as worried about him. Yuno was very strong and he could easily defend himself. As for the others...it seemed that Fuegoleon's group remained untouched. Why? What was the reason behind leaving that group in the Capital? What did the enemy want with them?

The mana took the form of a transportation of some sort. It worked, so she wasn't too partial on the details, nothing was worse than Klaus's chariot. They all clambered on and she felt some relief when it began taking off. And no one had punched each other yet.

But there was another thing bugging Mimosa. She scanned the faces of all those present, hoping to catch what was amiss. The moment she looked over at the Silvas, it all clicked. The fact that _she_ wasn't here. The nice girl from the Diamond Kingdom. Mimosa forgot her name (she wasn't good with those, it took her two weeks and five missions to remember Yuno's name) but she didn't forget how _lonely_ she was. It made her want to reach out and befriend her. Then again, Mimosa was always like that.

What bothered her was that it was strange that Nozel and his siblings were all here and she wasn't. They had arrived at the same time the other knights did, so clearly, it was meant for everyone. _Weren't they supposed to be together? Why isn't she here then?_ Maybe, maybe she could ask Nozel? No, Nozel may be her cousin but he was intimidating and Mimosa always found it difficult to approach him. She didn't like Nebra either, her mocking voice followed Mimosa everywhere, teasing her plant magic and kind nature. It could have been nothing, but Mimosa couldn't brush off the dreadful feeling she had in her chest.

Instead, she moved over to her only option and quietly tugged at Solid's sleeve. Her cousin blinked a few times, no doubt wondering why she was approaching him, they didn't have the best rapport after all. But he was nice sometimes, he defended her a lot, in his own way. His words were always wrapped with a tone of condescension but he meant well.

"Can I help you with something, Mimosa?"

Maybe this wasn't a good idea. But what if something bad had happened? "Um, well…" She was fidgeting, she did that a lot when she got nervous.

Solid narrowed his eyes, _oh no, is he mad?_ "Is everything okay?"

_See? He's nice. You can do this, Mimosa._ "Yes, well, no. Actually, I was wondering if you've seen her?"

"Who?" Okay, she lost him, no big deal. That was no surprise, Solid only recalled those he saw as equals or worthy of speaking to and unfortunately, that wasn't a large group of people. It wasn't a secret how he treated Noelle, his own sister, even though she had never done anything wrong.

Mimosa tried again. She glanced over at where Nozel was, hoping he wasn't paying attention. To her relief, he was commandeering the transportation, too focused on barking out orders. "I wanted to see if you knew what happened to the _Diamond girl._ " Mimosa whispered the last part as to not let anyone overhear. She had seen the way Nozel reacted at the ceremony. Solid stared at her and Mimosa wondered if she should have even bothered.

Much to her surprise, something akin to guilt passed on Solid's face. _Well, that's a new emotion I haven't seen._ Solid leaned in closer, "what about her?"

Mimosa bit her lip. "Well, she's not here and I know Fuegoleon assigned her to your group, so I was hoping you knew where she was." He was staring at her again. "I just want to make sure nothing bad happened to her."

Raising his head to the direction of his brother, Solid searched for a sign that Nozel was listening in. Nozel was firmly directing the spell, unaware of the conversation between them. Solid sighed, his voice lower as he whispered. "About that. You see, Nozel scared her off."

Mimosa reared her head back. "What?"

Solid nodded. "He went berserk on her. Started calling her things and telling her that she was better off leaving and that no one would even notice." She could hardly believe it. Nozel was intimidating and cold yes, but that was a new extreme.

"Why would he say that?"

"You know he hates the Diamond Kingdom. He's taking his hatred out on her."

"But she's not like that! The Wizard King himself is allowing her to stay in the castle!" Her voice had gotten louder and Mimosa gasped, she hadn't meant to say that last part.

Solid looked shocked. She couldn't blame him. They all lived in the castle too. "She's staying at the castle? How do you know that?"

Mimosa peered at him, she had never seen Solid appear so animated, except when he was getting ready to kill someone of course. Was he _blushing_? "Um, she told me herself."

"Oh." She must have been seeing things. "If she didn't get swallowed by the spatial magic, my bets are that she's with Fuegoleon by now."

"What makes you say that?"

"She's not stupid. I'm sure she tracked down his mana and joined the group. That's what I would have done." Solid shrugged and looked away. "Anyways, that's all I know. Your little friend should be fine."

"Oh, thank you."

"Don't mention it."

_Did he just compliment her?_ Well that was as close as a compliment Solid could get to. The whole interaction was weird. But that didn't matter, they were getting close to the Capital, she could see it in the distance and she could feel the concentration of magic power to the North, where Fuegoleon was supposed to go. Where Asta, Noelle, Leo, and hopefully she was.

_Hang in there, we're coming._

*******

_Leaving the child behind, I ran to meet up with the squad in the square. I joined them, slightly out of breath, but they didn't comment on the sound. They stood with their backs to me, not acknowledging my presence. They loomed over me, they weren't the typical group I went out on missions with. Typically, I went out with Mars or Fana but we were separated; the two of them were sent off to carry out a special project for the Kingdom._

_It was my fourteenth birthday today, so I was sent out to a new mission, something that would be rewarding, or so I was told. I was excited by the prospect of having new responsibilities. The hole my family's death left was slowly filling with a sense of purpose. I would never forget the weight of that guilt but this would help lessen the pain._

_So I agreed to join up with the new squad, they weren't friendly but that was okay. Not one of them was familiar, these knights were all much older than me, grown men. They were set in their ways and confident with their magic in a way I wasn't yet. I was a green sprout, unsure of her place in the desert._

_I stood on my toes, trying to see over the heads of the tall men, my eyes searching for my teacher, Fanzell. He usually led the charge on these missions and I always explained my orders and why I had to follow through. I didn't know what we were doing here in the village. The villagers seemed happy to see us, so I asked one of the soldiers on the way here and he shushed me, a stern expression on his face. To my disappointment, I couldn't spot my teacher. Was he not here?_

_I heard my name being called by an eerie voice that sent shivers down my spine. The group of men parted like the red sea, all eyes were on me, watching me expectantly. I gulped, recognizing the voice, it was_ _**her** _ _. Still, I took a deep breath and began walking through the path created for me._

_She stood at the very center, elevated by a platform. Her red lips twisted into what was supposed to be a smile when she saw me. "Ah, there you are. Come, child." Her bony hand beckoned me, urging me to join her. I hesitantly started walking around to the stairs, her hands reaching out to yank me up, impatient by my slow movements. "Though I suppose you are no longer a child."_

_I shivered, my heart racing as her arm wrapped around my shoulders. It could have been deciphered as a mother's embrace but the way her nails dug into my flesh stated otherwise, this was a warning, a cage. "Happy Birthday, dear. Here's to many years of serving the Diamond Kingdom."_

_When I said nothing, words failing to escape my mouth, the nails sunk in deeper, nearly breaking the skin. I bit my lip to hold in my whimper. "You know, it's polite to thank someone when they wish you nothing but the best."_

_I would always resent this woman. For all my adjusting to my new life, she had been the reason I would never have a family again._

_The Winter Lady laughed, a sharp, unpleasant noise. "I see you still haven't changed much from the ungrateful brat you were when we rescued you from those traitors and took you in. But that is no matter. Today, we put that all behind us. Today, we celebrate."_

_I wanted to go home. I didn't want to celebrate. I wanted to go back to the place I grew up, I wanted to be with the family I had always known. Nothing had ever been the same since that day four years ago, and it never would be again. Even on my birthday._

" _I've brought you a present, sweet." I stared at the ground, barely nodding at the words. I was filled with an incurable sadness now. Nothing she could give me would change that. Unless she could turn back time. "You see, now that you are of a certain age, you are given greater privileges. It's truly something wonderful."_

" _What is it?"_

_The arm that wasn't around me gestured out, I dragged my eyes from the ground to see where she was pointing. I furrowed my eyebrows, the entire village was out here in the square, only a few feet away from me. They were smiling and waving at me, baskets of food in their hands. The little girl I had seen earlier was in the very front, wearing her flower chain proudly._

_My eyes darted to the Winter Lady, scarcely believing it. Were we having a banquet? For me? I didn't...expect anything normal, much less something as nice as this. "You see those villagers?"_

_I nodded eagerly, a sort of joy starting to replace the melancholy I felt._

" _Good. Good. They're all traitors to the Kingdom." I froze, "and you get to kill them all."_

_What._

_What?_

_**What?** _

_She was joking. She had to be. "Traitors?" The word trembled out of my lips, disbelief painted on, it was the first time I ever spoke to her._

" _Yes, it appears they are unhappy with the price of living in our wonderful Kingdom. There's rumors of rebellion and seceding. Dissent causes revolution and revolution is treason, treason is punishable by death. You understand dear?"_

_I shook my head vigorously, uncaring of any consequence. I would not idly agree to murder innocent people. I had never killed a person in my life, much less an entire village. Besides they couldn't be traitors, not when the entire village came out to receive us, to rejoice in our coming. It didn't make any sense._

" _That's because your teacher is an idiot. They won't suffer however. Since it is your birthday, your magic will be the mercy that helps them rest peaceful. It's more than what scum like them deserve after all." She released my arm and I savored the sensation of the blood rushing back to the places she so tightly pressed on. "This is an order directly from the Wizard King. He wishes to see your abilities." She patted my arm before stepping away from me. "I have to deal with the village chief but in the meantime, I'll have the men give you a head-start." She walked away from the podium she stood on, waving casually as she left the center, heading for the longhouse on the other side of the village._

_I stood alone on that platform, the wicked grins of the knights piercing me. The villagers were none the wiser, smiles still on their faces as they stood from afar. Then they started moving. Suddenly striking, the mages swiveled and grimoires came to life, all at once, fire consumed the buildings and I heard the confused screams of the villagers as their homes began burning._

_It felt as if all the air had been squeezed out of me. I dropped to my knees, the dull thud and following pain the only sign of it not being a dream._

" _I-I can't."_

*******

I heard muffled voices in the shadows and they were arguing.

"Rades! You put your petty revenge in front of the mission and this is the result. The master may have taken a liking to you but don't get cocky." The master? Who was that? "Mucking around with those creatures of yours. Taking on the captain by yourself. You're an arrogant fool." _Captain? What Captain? Is he talking about Fuegoleon? Is that the man that was attacking him?_ Focusing was hard, everything in my head felt like mush, an effect of the spell I was still under.

Or was I dead? Who knew.

"Give it a rest already." This new voice was raspy, nasally. If only I could see what was going on…

Just who were these people? What did they want with me? Were they Diamond Kingdom? Is that why they were so gleeful to lay waste to the Clover Kingdom?

"If not for your actions, things would have been much less complicated."

That caused the other man to get heated, his words sharp as he spoke. "I don't see what you have to complain about when it was my precious puppets that were the victims in all this!" _Puppets? Victims?_ Little by little the voices were becoming clearer, easier to understand, as if I was slowly coming out of the fog.

So it _had_ been a spell that rose all those creatures. But it had all been from one person? Summoning that many puppets would take immense amounts of magic power.

"Let's not forget about Catherine either. Things didn't turn out so well for her." My heart dropped, I knew that voice. It had to be Sally. She was here. Everything came rushing back and I knew I was captured. Alive for now. I strained my ears, if there was even a chance of escape, whatever they were talking about could be very valuable information. Or the disagreements could be enough to distract them while I tried to formulate an escape.

"Like I care about that old hag." I counted three voices so far but how many of them were there? "You're telling _me_ that _I_ got cocky, what about that old witch?"

"Quit squabbling." Okay, so four mages?

"I don't see what the big deal is, you got what you wanted, right?"

"Oh and Sally? One thing." It wasn't until we came to a stop that I noticed the slight swaying motion go away. _We were moving the whole time?_ "These little prizes of yours can't come with us. Kill them."

Them. Them. He said _them_. Who else was here with me? How many others were captured? Why?

"What? You're kidding. Okay, you're not. Do you know how hard it was to capture her? But, oh come on~ what was I supposed to do? Leave her?"

"There was no reason for them to come along. You weren't supposed to abandon your post to play tag with humans. How do you answer that?"

"For experiments of course!"

"Sally. Get rid of them. You know the rules. You cannot keep humans."

"But they're perfect! Hear me out, Asta uses anti-magic. Real life anti-magic, not some weakening spell." Asta? Was he here? Did they capture him too? What was going on? Why couldn't I open my eyes?

"So?"

"And the girl, she didn't tell me her name, she uses a weird magic. She threw my spell back at me and ruined my salamander twice! I don't know how she does it. I didn't even see her grimoire!" My hand twitched slightly. It seemed I was getting some of my senses back. Slowly, my eyes were opening, hazy to the new world I was seeing.

"What is your point?" Oddly enough, I was still in that gel thing that had swallowed me up. It was so heavy I couldn't move my head, only able to stare straight ahead. I was surprised I could breathe.

"These are rare magic types! Maybe the only of their kind, I _can't_ pass up on this opportunity. Not when I have them here!" So there were five mages here. All wearing the same robes. All part of the same organization.

"Only those that have been acknowledged by the master can go where we go. Kill them before the master comes for us." I felt fear. These people who abducted me for no reason were just going to kill me? Just like that? And what about Asta? He-he couldn't _die._ I refused. He needed to become the Wizard King-

Julius. My heart mourned a little. My final moments alive and I was more saddened by the fact that I would never see him again. He didn't even know I was gone, captured. Did he even care? It was a little funny in a not so funny way that I had escaped my past chains only to die in other ones three days later.

"Goodie, goodie! You're awake!" Sally's overly excited voice came from my left side. Was she talking to me? I couldn't see her. "Help me convince them!" I felt a slight shift in the gel bubble I was in, someone was here too. Was it Asta? I could only stare straight ahead, not able to move my head through the thick substance.

Despite their insistence that we die, the group continued moving ahead, I could make out a temple of sorts, dark, and heavy with mana. Sally and one of the males kept bickering, juggling our fate in their hands. Debating what to do with Asta and I. For someone who had been imprisoned, controlled for over half my life, the last thing I wanted to do was become a puppet for someone else.

I would rather die.

As my thoughts began to increase from melancholia to absolute despair, I saw a faint movement deep in the temple. The others hadn't noticed it, too busy patting themselves on the back for the chaos in the Capital but I saw it. _What could it be?_ I didn't dare get my hopes up, no one would search for me. That much was absolute. Asta on the other hand was just as hated by the Nobles, they were probably rejoicing at our disappearance.

"Are you going to make me beg Geork? Cause I will, pretty, pretty please? Let me keep them!"

Geork sighed, "whatever you do, just leave me out of it."

"Give him to me!" That one had a grudge against Asta for some reason, the entire time he argued with Sally it was over killing the boy.

"No way!" Sally screeched. I wished I could cover my ears from the high frequencies she was emitting.

Then I saw it again. The shift. Automatically, my mana senses came alive and although Sally had yet to be aware, the mana levels here skyrocketed. I scarcely wanted to hold the hope I felt. I knew that mana, could make it out anywhere.

Footsteps echoed through the cavernous temple, the sound halting the group as they squinted to see in the shadows.

"Hi there. You've kept me waiting." Sobs caught in my chest, wanting desperately to come out. It was okay, _we_ were okay. Julius was here. His gentle voice called to me and I had never been so relieved to see him.

Sally's group gasped, all of them in shock. No doubt the Wizard King being here threw a wrench in their nefarious schemes. _Serves them right._

"Did you have a pleasant visit to the capital?" His eyes wandered over the mages, finally landing on me. I wanted to call out to him. His eyes narrowed when he saw me, a flash of emotion glinted in them.

"Kill him now!"

It was over in a matter of seconds.

My eyes widened and although I wanted to scream, no sound came out. I could do nothing but watch idly as these people attacked Julius.

He moved with such agility, with such speed that it was impossible for me to keep up with him. In an instant, he took down two of the group without flinching.

"They're gone! How did you-"

"Yes, sorry about that." His usual smile was laced with an edge, an edge of something infinitely darker, something that I was only just getting a tiny glimpse of. "It would have been too difficult to restrain all of you." He said that as if it was an excuse but there was more to it than that. I had no doubt Julius would have easily defeated the entire group. "Much easier for me this way."

One of the robed mages, Geork, instantly attacked, a sort of tree magic thrashing about and heading directly to Julius. Anyone else would have been hurt by the speed of it, Julius simply blasted it away like it was nothing.

If I could gape, my mouth would be a newly discovered cave. Just how strong was this man? What kind of magic could he possibly be in control of?

My captors thought the same because I could hear their gasps of horror, their noises of protest, the fear hidden within, exposed.

"You started this." It surprised me to see how cold Julius sounded. After seeing how warmly he treated me, it never occurred to me he could be otherwise. "It was your choice to attack the capital and now you're nervous?" I felt a small stirring of pity for the group but it was fleeting. Julius was right. These people had _no_ reason to attack like they did, to take Asta and me, to hold our lives and all the citizens lives in their hands. They deserved this.

"Don't tell me you came to kill without being prepared to die yourselves." There was muttering between the five that remained, sounds of disbelief. "Tell you what. You're skilled enough to make this a bit of a challenge, but I'd rather not go to the trouble. So, let's make a deal. I'll let the first person to surrender survive." Julius smiled cheerfully. "Well, do we have any takers? Come now, don't be shy."

"Not a chance!" The five robed mages all shouted together, apparently they had built up some resolve in their astonished states. They jumped to the attack, grimoires opening, no doubt using the strongest spells at their disposal. They didn't see what I saw though. It was futile to fight when it was obvious who would win this.

Julius dodged the attacks so quickly, so effortlessly it was as if they were attacking a spirit, the five down to four. "Now then, a test. We'll see if it will work on so many." I blinked, he had moved from deep in the temple, to stand in the mouth of it, his back to Asta and I, separating us from the other mages. In that blink he had moved over twenty feet, across the temple, through the four remaining attackers.

"Time Binding Magic: Chrono Stasis!" If it could, my jaw would have dropped open. _Time magic? Is he for real?_ I knew Julius was strong. He had to be. But Time magic? I had never heard of that and I didn't think it was possible. Magic that controlled time, it was awe inspiring and my respect and feelings for him increased.

In an instant, he restrained them all. They were encased in a blue orb not unlike my mana shields, but unlike mine, they had runes running through them and they seemed frozen. No, suspended in time. "I got you all. Guess I overestimated your skills. I hope you enjoyed this moment because you're going to be stuck like that for a while."

I let out a sigh of relief. _Wait, what?_ Belatedly, I realized there was a shift in the gel bubble I was in. The spell came undone and gravity pulled me down, I hit the ground quickly. It hurt but I was so relieved to be alive and out of that thing that I didn't care about a small ache. To my delight, the gel stuff was not wet and I was one hundred percent not covered in ooze.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I turned, happy to see Asta for the first time. I had thought he was in the same bubble I was, but we were placed apart, his bubble a few feet away from mine. He rubbed at his head and moaned about his rather ungraceful fall. He was a little beaten up from fighting that mage back at the capital.

"Oh there you are, Asta. It's nice to see you again." I wiggled my toes, trying to return the sensation in them. Being suspended for so long made for some sleepy limbs. Too distracted in reviving my foot I barely heard my name being called.

"Huh?" I looked up, Julius stood in front of me, his hand outstretched. I stared at it for a moment before eagerly accepting it. He easily pulled me up and for once, I didn't care how close we were. I faced my death far too many times today to care about my proximity to the Wizard King.

"Are you alright?" The warm, concerned look was back in his eyes, such a difference from his offhandedness earlier. I nodded, my bottom lip wobbling before I couldn't help it anymore. I threw my arms around Julius, slipping my hands under his robe to embrace him. I felt him stiffen a bit under me then I felt his arms wrap around back. "There, there. It's okay." I held back my tears, whatever adrenaline I had dissipated and all I was left with was my fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot BELIEVE how many people like this! I'm convinced I'm hallucinating. I cry every time someone comments or leaves a kudos or anything really. Honestly, the only reason I am so passionate is because of you lovely readers. I made this originally for myself, convinced that no one would read it. I debated even posting it, thinking that it would sit on my laptop forever. I know this chapter was more action heavy but worry not! There's a big, giant, rainbow at the end of this storm lol. Thank you all so much for taking time out of your day to read this. Even just spreading awareness over Black Clover is a huge step.
> 
> THANK YOU


	7. VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the attack is easily put aside for a darker return. The King requests an audience and something lost is returned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I would post every week but the feedback I received on the last chapter made me cry so hard that I figured since I was already a few chapters ahead, that I would treat you all to a mostly fluff chapter. Actions scenes are not my thing but I got all good feedback and I died! This chapter is not fully fluff cause we would all die but yah know.

_**Black Clover** _

**VII**

*******

" _Oh there you are, Asta. It's nice to see you again." I wiggled my toes, trying to return the sensation in them. Being suspended for so long made for some sleepy limbs. Too distracted in reviving my foot, I barely heard my name being called._

" _Huh?" I looked up, Julius stood in front of me, his hand outstretched. I stared at it for a moment before eagerly accepting it. He easily pulled me up and for once, I didn't care how close we were. I faced my death far too many times today to care about my proximity to the Wizard King._

" _Are you alright?" The warm, concerned look was back in his eyes, such a difference from his offhandedness earlier. I nodded, my bottom lip wobbling before I couldn't help it anymore. I threw my arms around Julius, slipping my hands under his robe to embrace him. I felt him stiffen a bit under me, then I felt his arms wrap around my back. "There, there. It's okay." I held back my tears, whatever adrenaline I had dissipated and all I was left with was my fear._

After what felt like a few minutes, much too short in my opinion, I reluctantly let go of him. After all, we weren't the only ones here. Asta was only a few feet away... Only then did I realize the brashness of my actions, a heady flush warmed my cheeks and I couldn't look Julius in the eye. To my surprise, he lifted my chin up with his hand, much like in our first meeting. "I'm glad you're okay. I was worried." His voice was low, meant only for my ears to hear. Julius let go of my face, his hand dropping to trail down my arm, clasping my hand in his.

I gasped lightly but allowed him to gently tug me to where Asta still sat. As we approached the boy, I saw him shaking slightly. He was eyeing Julius in complete and utter awe, his mouth constantly opening and closing. I couldn't blame him.

Julius came closer to the blond boy. "You wanna be the Wizard King someday, isn't that right? Then I suggest you carefully consider everything you've seen here. This was only the smallest example of the sort of power you'll have to outmatch." He was right. I could never hope to be stronger than him but Asta? He had no magic, it was bound to be five times harder for him to accomplish his goals. I knew why Julius said that. Asta needed to be absolute in his desire, to be sure that he could be stronger, the strongest.

"Can you stand?" Julius's free hand was outstretched to Asta but this was different from when he offered me his hand. This was a test. The boy stared at it, fighting with himself internally before pounding on the ground and slowly standing by himself. A pleased smile crossed Julius's face. "Well, it seems you don't need help after all." He turned to the captured mages and I wondered again just who they were. "I hate to admit it but you folks have some pretty amazing magic. It surprised me." Of course he would be fascinated by the magic. "Now then. There are quite a few questions I'd like for you to answer."

"Huh?" Asta followed as Julius pointed at a stone tablet that stood in the center of the temple, light shining on it. Strange markings covered the stone and I wanted to know just as much what they were.

"This tablet you have here with the jewels, what is it for? I've never seen writing like this, nor such a pattern. What exactly where you trying to accomplish with it?" Julius chuckled as if just now remembering something funny. "Actually hold that thought. You can't very well answer while caught up in my spell, now can you? We'll have a nice chat about it back in the Clover Kingdom."

The hand in mine tightened, squeezing it. I looked over at Julius, his eyes were narrowed and he pushed me behind him. "Get ready, something's coming." I had never heard of Julius being so solemn, so serious.

Before I could ask what he meant, a bright light radiated through the whole temple, the heaviness of powerful mana returned. Whatever it was, its power rivaled Julius's. I had to cover my eyes, the light with surely burn my eyeballs if I dared look.

"Where is this light coming from?" I faintly heard Asta yell out. It was so sudden, so searing. I couldn't see anything it was so bright. As quickly as it came, it was gone, leaving the room as dark as before. I blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the dark spots from the sudden brightness.

"What just happened?" I managed to choke out at the same Asta did. I didn’t catch a single glance of the mage, the bright light much too strong for me to gander. I knew though, if I ever encountered that particular mana, I would instantly recognize it.

"He got away." Julius said simply. "His pals too. A Light Magic wielder who's even faster than I am." His eyes were narrowed as he pondered before they gave way to slight amusement. "I wonder if he's their leader. How fascinating." He shook his head as if to remind himself of the gravity of the situation. "Fascinating and troubling. Anyway. We've still got this one at least." Julius pointed at the last orb, the mage still in it.

I exhaled, feeling the rush of relief course through my veins. Did this mean that all the imminent danger was over? Julius stepped away from me to examine the stone tablet closer. I took a moment to go over to Asta, a bewildered look still sat on his face, not that I could blame him. Today had played out a bit differently than I hoped.

I stood next to the blond and reached out to pat his back before hesitating and bringing my arm back to my side. "Hey, Asta."

He turned his head slightly to look at me. He smiled but it lacked luster, his usual exuberance was replaced by weariness. "Hey there, they got you too, huh?"

"Yeah, I got separated from the Silver Eagles and had the misfortune of running into Sally." I shuddered slightly. She would forever give me the creeps. "By the way, I saw a bit of your fight with Rades. I have to say, you were really awesome!"

"Really?"

"Mhmm! The way you and Fuegoleon stood your ground was pretty fascinating." When Asta's smile dropped, I realized I said something wrong. "Is everything okay-"

"Sir! You're needed at the medical ward!" I sharply turned my head at the new voice. Marx's head was floating near where Julius was standing, relief obvious on his face but the urgency of which he spoke had me worried something more was going on.

Julius set his face in a grim line, nodding slightly. He hid it well but I could see the worry in his eyes. I exchanged looks with Asta, he didn't seem very surprised at Marx's order. I wanted to ask what was going on but Julius turned to us, coming closer. He didn't say a word but the familiar sensation of his magic activating served as my only warning that we were leaving.

As quickly and as naturally as breathing, the temple melted away and I found myself somewhere much sunnier. The acrid smell of ash in the air reaffirmed that I was now back at the Capital. At least all the fires had been put out and no foul sense of mana lingered. However, there was a smidgen of relief to sense the magic power of the Magic Knights, even the Silvas.

They stood a few feet away from us, surprised to see us materialize out of thin air. Julius waved cheerfully, keeping his disposition. "Hey everyone, nice work today." He greeted.

There was a loud sigh of relief. Just having Julius's presence seemed to ease the Knights, a bit of the troublesome cloud dissipated. Especially when Noelle and Mimosa cheered at Asta's safe return. "Asta! You're okay!" Noelle was the first to run to Asta, a small, red sprinkling spattered over her cheeks.

I couldn't help but smile at the concerned manner in which Noelle and Klaus simultaneously fretted over the magic less boy. _It would be nice, if someone was that worried about me. Maybe someday._

As soon as I finished my thought, the very air I was breathing was squeezed out of my lungs. A body collided with mine, nearly knocking me over with the impact. For a moment all I saw was a bush of orange as arms circled me. The faint smell of jasmine invaded my nose, comforting me slightly. My mother had always smelled of flowers.

"You're okay! I'm so glad that nothing happened to you!"

I spat out a piece of hair that invaded my mouth, "Mimosa?" Quickly, the arms around me dropped and the royal stepped back, her cheeks slightly red.

"Forgive me, I was so worried something bad had happened to you. We found out that Asta had been captured and then no one knew where you were. I searched the area but I started to think the worst had happened!" I gaped at Mimosa, she had just met me but she was _worried_ about _me?_

Apparently someone _would_ miss me. I took a step forward, ready to thank her when I noticed a few missing spots. "Er, Mimosa?"

"Yes?"

I turned my head to scan the Magic Knights present, verifying that I wasn't just seeing things, or not seeing in this case. "Where's Leopold and Fuegoleon? They were with Asta's group. I don't see them now." The way her face dropped was exactly the way Asta's had when I mentioned the Crimson Lions Captain. A pit in my stomach told me I already knew the answer. We were outside the Medical Ward for a reason.

"I see. And we don't know when he'll wake up?" I felt queasy as Julius spoke, getting debriefed by some of the Magic Knights. "Losing a man like Fuegoleon would be quite a blow." It was unimaginable. I had just seen Fuegoleon. His spell had pierced through my shield effortlessly, what little of the fight I had seen, it seemed as if he were unbeatable. There was no way he was taken down with such ease. Julius sighed, visibly perturbed, "the consequences of my misjudgment."

"No, it's our inexperience that's to blame." One of the only females present at the ceremony. Captain of the Blue Roses, Charlotte. "And there's something else."

I listened as the female Captain began explaining the details surrounding Fuegoleon's attack. How they isolated him, ripped off his arm, and stole his family's necklace. It was then that it began to sink in. This was no joke, the solemness of the situation held no room for false news. It was terrifying, knowing someone as strong as him was left in such a state.

I felt a small sense of loss. Besides Mimosa and Asta, Fuegoleon was the only other Magic Knight at the banquet that made me feel welcome. He didn't taunt me and scorn my previous alliance. He even asked me to help, despite the uncertainty, he took a chance on me.

Julius's frown deepened the longer Charlotte spoke, an unsettling thought began forming in my head and I hoped that Julius came to the same conclusion, as loathe as I was to believe it, there had to be a traitor among the ranks of the Magic Knights.

He out a small sigh, "We'll interrogate the prisoners for answers later. Whoever they are." So even Julius wasn't sure of who the enemy was? That alone was terrifying. "I ask only one thing from the Magic Knights, that you preserve the peace of the Clover Kingdom. To achieve that, we must put everything on the line and keep fighting."

"Yes, sir!" Asta readily agreed, his voice louder than anyone's. I smiled fondly, it appeared that even faced with the threat of death, Asta could shake it off, eager as ever.

"If you'll excuse me, Wizard King." My heart instantly dropped at the sound of Nozel's voice. His eyes darted over me for a brief moment before fixing his sharp gaze on Julius. Was he going to insult me more? In front of Julius? I was glad to see that the Silvas were alive but it didn't mean I had forgotten the treatment I received. That went for everyone else as well, I didn't wish to see anyone harmed but I wouldn't forget the contempt in which we were held in.

To my surprise, Nozel simply turned around and walked away, his siblings copying the motions. From the corner of my eye, I saw a faint movement before Julius came to stand next to me. "There's a saying: don't wake a sleeping lion. Our mysterious enemy make have woken an eagle, instead."

 _That's right, Nozel and Fuegoleon are cousins. They probably grew up together._ I knew better than most that the ties that connected family was a bond that was nigh unbreakable. Cold as he was, I understood Nozel's frustrations. I understood his need for revenge all too well.

As the mood began to shift to something more lighthearted, I couldn't dispel the cloud of dread that loomed over my shoulder. When Leopold ran out to challenge Asta and everyone laughed at Asta's obliviousness, I couldn't join them. When Mimosa, Klaus, and Yuno said their goodbyes, I could only muster a half-hearted goodbye. I did however, promise the girl to keep in touch.

Squad by squad, everyone left, leaving Julius and I alone. I let out a sigh and stared down at my hands, they were still shaking from earlier. Now that the danger had left, my body felt the weight of today's actions. I dropped down to the ground, ignoring the pricks from the rocks underneath. "I. Am. Exhausted." I muttered.

I felt a shift next to me, to my surprise, Julius joined me on the ground. He crossed his legs and leaned back on his palms. It was such a casual stance, for both of us, it was hard to imagine the last few hours actually happened.

"What happened?" His tone betrayed the ease of his position, leaving no room for lighthearted jokes. I eyed him from the corner of my eye, his face set with an almost fury. Julius was looking straight ahead, at the imposing medical ward, where Fuegoleon's life precariously balanced.

I figured this conversation would arise but I didn't think it would be so soon. I thought he would want to see Fuegoleon or maybe be debriefed by Marx, not ask about my well being. I stretched my legs out, examining the tears in my stockings. I didn't realize under the duress that my adrenaline had been covering for a few wounds. They littered my skin, mostly little scrapes and cuts but they made their presence known. It felt like my entire body hurt.

"After you left, there was some...discourse." I didn't want Julius to think badly of his Knights, no matter how deserving they were. I tried to put myself in their shoes, to try and see things from their perspective. I could understand their aggression towards me. I don't think I would have reacted that warmly either. The rest of the treatment? That I would never be able to understand and I wouldn't want to, to treat someone that abhorrently, just because of birth status was baffling.

Julius exhaled audibly, "I predicted as much. I had hoped…" He trailed off but I knew what he meant.

"Then one of the guards rushed in and said there was an attack on the capital. No one really knew what to do then Fuegoleon took charge. He separated us squad by squad. Um, I was placed with the Silvas." I tried not to betray my sentiments and kept talking, "It was a very...educating...moment."

"Hmm."

I cleared my throat, "We landed in the central district and that's pretty much when it all went sideways. The wraiths-" I finally learned the name for the corpses- "they were attacking and the Silvas wiped them out pretty quickly."

"Then how did you manage to get kidnapped if you were with the Silvas?" Uh oh, Julius didn't sound very content about that.

Figuring I would gloss over the _finer_ details, I began playing with my fingers. "We got separated." He didn't look like he believed me, but he said nothing. "Shortly after, the magical presence of the Silvas disappeared and when I went to find them, they had already been spatialed away. That's when I sensed Fuegoleon's mana and headed in their direction but I got intercepted by Sally."

"I see." I took a chance to gaze at Julius but he was already staring at me intently. There was something curious in his expression, as if he was trying to see into my very soul.

"Julius?" I stuttered.

"I overheard something the Eye of the Midnight Sun said while I was waiting in the temple. Forgive me, but I found it rather strange." I nodded slowly, holding my breath. What did he hear? "The girl, Sally, she mentioned that you fought her without your grimoire?"

Oh.

_Oh._

"I definitely used my grimoire. I am nowhere strong enough to go without. She probably just couldn't see it." Come to think of it, Nozel accused me of not bringing it. The confusion on Julius's face was visible, his eyebrows scrunched, and his mouth pursed.

"Come to think of it, I've never seen it either. Most people carry them in harnesses or something alike." I nodded, it was true. I had never really explained the intricacy of my grimoire, the timing was never right.

"That's because it doesn't exist." I hurried to amend my statement when Julius mouth dropped open, that familiar sparkle coming back into his eyes. "It exists! It's only when I use it." I dropped my face into my hands and shook my head. "I'm not explaining this right." To prove my point, I twirled my wrist, lilac energy gathering together to form my grimoire.

I had never seen the stars so close, that's how much Julius's eyes sparkled. "Wow!"

"It's a little neat, I'll give you that. Because my attribute is mana, my grimoire is made up entirely of mana. It's very portable. I'm the only person alive that will never lose her grimoire." Just as quickly, the grimoire faded away, the particles of mana going back into the earth. "Sally probably just didn't see it because it's a little transparent and only sticks around long enough for me to cast my spells."

"I never seen another grimoire like that!" Julius jumped to his feet, oddly excited. "Wow, you must have been so excited to receive it!"

I laughed and stood up as well, dusting the pebbles and dirt off me. "I never received it. It just materialize on its own. Scared the daylights out of me." It felt nice to have this weight taken off me. I _wanted_ Julius to know me, to know just how strong I could be. I wanted him to know I wasn't always like this, helpless and scared. I vaguely wondered if I should mention the new spell I learned but figured it was unimportant. It wasn't like I was going to use it again. _No, you can't think like that._

This attack was a wake up call. Not just for the Magic Knights, but for me as well. I could no longer be complacent, I had to get stronger. I had to protect the few friends I was making. That no matter what Nozel said, what the other Knights felt, I would prove them wrong. I was a Diamond before but now I was part of the Clover Kingdom. It would not do to let my kingdom be attacked. I was going to help. I'd tell Julius when the attack wasn't so fresh in our minds.

My new convictions fueled me, distracted me from noticing the fondness of Julius's face when he looked at me. I only looked up when Julius's hand once again slipped into one of mine, a warm smile on his face. I was instantly entranced by his gentleness.

"Let's go home, shall we?"

*******

After he handed off the mage he captured to Marx, Julius walked me to my room. We were standing outside my door. My shaking had diminished, it no longer wracked my body. It almost seemed like a faint memory, not something that had just happened within the last few hours. Julius's hand was still in mine, providing a much needed comfort. The silence was deafening. My room was just on the other side, but it felt like miles away. I felt Julius fidget and I avoided his gaze, choosing to look at the ground instead.

"I'd like to apologize." I tore my eyes from the ground, sharply. I wasn't expecting that. "I told you this morning that you would be safe, that no harm would come to you. Yet, you were captured by a terrorist group and held against your will. I can't express how sorry I am."

I smiled at him softly. "There's no reason to be sorry. As you can see, I'm unharmed." I gestured at my body, trying not to wince at the soreness that was beginning to form. It's what I expected, after all, I hit the ground pretty roughly multiple times in one day. "Besides, it's not like we were planning to get attacked by zombies."

I tried to make light of the situation but Julius's wasn't amused by it. "Still, it was never supposed to happen and I assure you, it won't ever again." I was floored by his statement. I had never had anyone care _this much_ about my well being, especially since we barely knew each other.

"I...appreciate that, thank you." I said sincerely. It was sweet of him to be worried.

"I'd like to make it up to you, if you're willing." Make it up to me? I wasn't aware there _was_ something to make up for.

I waved my free hand in the air wildly, "that's really not necessary! No one could have possibly foreseen today's events unraveling. I'm fine, really." It was a little funny how I didn't believe my own words.

Julius sighed heavily and looked over at the wall above me, his eyes fixating on the wallpaper. "It's not just the attack on the Capital. It's the way you were treated at the War Merits commemoration. I heard how Asta was singled out and how you were treated with such distrust." _How did he hear about that?_ It was never my intention to even mention the event to Julius. I figured he had enough on his plate.

"How did you-"

"That's not important. What is, is that I asked for you and the others to be treated fairly and that obviously didn't happen. Though you may not think it deserving, it would make me feel much better if you'd allow me to make it up."

I was rendered speechless. How did he managed to blow me away time after time? How was it that he was so caring? I feebly nodded, no idea what to even ask for. "I don't even know what to ask for…" I mumbled.

Julius grinned quickly, letting go of my hand, to my dismay. "I'll let you sleep on it. I'm sure you'll think of something." He reached over me, my heart picking up in pace, and wrapped his hand around the doorknob. He twisted it and opened my door. I moved to walk into my room, when his hand stopped me. "One more thing." His mouth was set in a firm line and when he spoke it was with reproach. I wondered what could possibly draw his ire like this. "It seems the king would like to meet with you. It is his one requisite before he officially signs off on your citizenship."

I blinked before nodding, that seemed pretty reasonable in my eyes. I had no idea why Julius seemed so against the idea. "Okay, when does he want to meet?"

He shifted on one leg, looking down the hallway. I craned my neck to peer down the hall as well. _There's no one there._ "First thing in the morning it seems."

"Tomorrow morning?" I asked, trying to confirm.

Julius nodded. "Yes, it's quite short notice but after the attack on the Capital, Augustus is a little on _edge_ if you can understand." I bobbed my head up and down, trying to convey my agreement. Compared to the Wizard King, a regular king seemed almost unimportant.

Our king was. Morris had effectively and for all intents and purposes taken the crown for himself; the king was just a decoy, a scapegoat for ignoring protocol.

I smiled reassuringly, "It's fine, I'm sure I can put an outfit together…" I trailed off, something just occurring to me. I opened and closed my mouth for a few seconds, a very real ache overcoming my heart.

Julius furrowed his eyebrows, concern etched on his face. "Is everything alright? You look-"

"I'm fine!" I exclaimed, trying to cover the wobble in my voice. "I'm just really tired, _yawn,_ so I better turn in if I want to be ready for the king tomorrow."

He obviously didn't buy the lie. One eyebrow was arched, a small frown in place. Julius crossed his arms over his chest, "are you sure it's just that?"

I nodded vigorously. "Yes! Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix." He needed to leave _now._ Unless he wanted to be doused in water. I could only hold the dam back for a certain time and it was quickly running out.

Perhaps he was more perspective and he picked up on my sudden sorrow, or maybe my emotions were just very visible. Either way, Julius nodded a little robotically and sighed. "If you think it'll help. I'll let you rest then." He paused as if contemplating his next words. "If you need something, anything, please don't hesitate to ask. My quarters are just down the hall and I've been known to be a bit of a night owl."

"T-thank you. Good night." I truly hoped he didn't think I was being rude but I couldn't face him any longer. I stepped into my room and quickly shut the door. It had barely closed before I pressed my back to the wood and began sobbing.

I slumped to the ground, ignoring the cold marble, and wrapped my arms around my knees. I didn't even notice until I thought about my outfits. I had gone the rest of the day without it but knowing its absence sent me in a flurry of emotions. Again, and again, I cursed Sally and her horrible magic. Then I cursed my terrible timing.

My most valuable possession, one of the few things that kept me connected to my family, to my beloved brother, my very loved cloak was missing. It was god knows where and covered in holes by now. It would be impossible to find such an item. I didn't even _know_ where I was when I had so carelessly tossed it aside. There would be no way for me to retrace my footsteps, no way to even begin searching, and even if it somehow _wasn't_ consumed by the fire, it would be thrown away.

No one would be caught dead holding anything with the Diamond Kingdom's insignia. I buried my face in my hands as I came to one conclusion. My beloved cloak was gone and I would never see it again. I let out a wail as I let my sorrow overfill me.

It was ridiculous too, apparently nearly being killed and kidnappings weren't triggering for me. Losing what was essentially my safety blanket? All cards off the table.

_As long as you wear this and our family lives, we will always find a way to protect you to keep you from getting lost. You'll always be able to find your way home._

"H-ha! Find my way _home_. Well, my family is all _dead,_ I've _been_ lost _since_ the day they died. _All I had_ was that cloak. A-and now, I have nothing." I hiccuped as the hot tears ran down my cheeks, the trails they left burned my skin so hotly, they would surely scar.

What was I doing here?

I dragged myself to the bathroom. Why did I delude myself into leaving? I kept saying it was for the better, that being a puppet was the worst fate to be endured. What did I have to prove that? The moment I stepped foot on Clover soil, I had been faced with more emotions than I had in the twelve years held captive. It sounded great on paper, but most of those emotions were fear, sorrow, and yes, there were some pleasant emotions but at least I knew what to expect back at the Diamond Kingdom.

My days there were routine, nothing was unpredictable, my will to live was gone and all the emotions I held were locked away, unused. I wondered if it was better that way. I couldn't hurt anyone locked away like that. I hadn't shed so many tears in such a long time.

I stood under the hot water, trying to warm my numb body. Sniffling, I wanted to laugh, a simple garment on its own sent me spiraling. It was such a profound thing. I stood there, letting the warm spray wet my hair, and began scrubbing vigorously.

I needed to wipe away all the sin from today. I felt so dirty, so unclean. It was bad enough being treated as such but there was no way I was going to feel it as well.

I turned the water off and stepped out, wringing out my hair before wrapping it in a towel. I wiped off my face and pinched my cheeks. I did all my crying in the shower and I was done now, no more crying. _What was I thinking? Going back is the worst idea I have_ _ **ever**_ _come up with._ Experiencing all these new feelings was worth every sorrowful moment. This was what living was all about, life wasn't easy. I knew that. I needed this, tears and all. Even after this short time, I met new people, people that made me want to be friends, to open up.

I huffed, wiping the mirror's foggy glass. I really needed to take colder showers, my skin was not thanking me for all this hot water. I finished wiping the glass and moved closer to see my reflection. Then all the blood in my body froze. I stared into the mirror, believing it an optical illusion. It had to be.

Julius's flowers, the camellias he had given me, were taken out of their vase in my bedroom and splayed on their side, completely encased in ice.

After the twentieth or so blink, it didn't go away. Slowly, I turned, going over to the windowsill. Shakily, I picked up one of the flowers Julius had given me, the delicate petals were frozen, crumbling under the warmth of my hand.

I gasped as I felt the magical signature they gave off. It was one that would haunt me in my dreams. I reeled back, backing into the counter, my hands grasping the marble counter to support myself. "W-what, h-how?" What was _her_ mana doing in my room? Here?

The room was spinning. I took a few shallow breaths before running over to the toilet and heaving, all the food from the banquet came up. _I shouldn't have had so many cupcakes._

I wiped my mouth before flushing shamefully. I washed my hands and brushed my teeth, trying to think rationally. What was my next step? I stared into my reflection and steadied myself. As soon as my breathing evened out, I would plan my next course of action.

She wasn't here any longer, her mana trace was faint, which meant one thing. She was toying with me. But why? What was the plan here? Obviously the Diamond Kingdom knew I was here, so why was I still alive? There were so many questions and thoughts fighting to be formed that I knew I needed to tell someone, anyone.

Which brought me here, standing outside the Wizard King's room in the middle of the night.

I bit my lip, my closed fist hovering over the door. _Should I knock?_ Julius said he was a night owl but what if he was asleep? What if he meant it rhetorically, to put me at ease but not meaning it literally. Should I go back to my room? I hesitated, my foot moving back a little. Maybe this wasn't as big of a deal as I thought.

If there was anyone still around, surely they would have taken me out while I showered? Did this constitute as an emergency? Would it be better to wait until morning to mention it? Either way, there was no chance of me getting any sleep. Not now.

I let out a quiet sigh, resigning myself to go back to my room, and attempt to sleep. The door opened abruptly before I could leave and I jolted up in fright. My sudden yelp echoed through the hall and my eyes were met with laughing grey ones.

"Julius! You scared me!" I held my hand over my chest, attempting to soothe myself.

I could see him visibly struggle to hold in his laughter, his lips twisting as they tried to contain the bursts of laughter. "Really? You're the one standing outside my room, surely you must have been prepared for me to open it."

I flushed. He had a point but I was waiting to hype myself up. I cleared my throat before taking in his apparel. My words caught in my throat as I eyed him. He was out of his Wizard King clothes, dressing in a much more relaxed manner. It was a simple get up of trousers and a tunic but it was so jarring to see him out of his usual outfit. My mouth was dry as my eyes slowly moved up his body, taking in his slim yet muscular form. He was even more dashing.

 _How is that possible?_ I met his knowing gaze and blushed so violently, it put any fire spell to shame. _Oh my god, did I really just scope out Julius in front of him? Should I run?_ Yes, absolutely. Then I would run away and become a hermit in the Spade Kingdom, where my shame wouldn't follow. _Yes, that's what I'll do. I could farm some radishes, live off of what I harvest. I wanted peaceful right? Doesn't get much more peaceful than that._

"Radishes."

"What?"

I blinked. I was going to melt. How had I survived this long? No wonder they locked me away. This was so painful to witness. "I- _what_?"

"Don't look at me, you brought up radishes." Julius teased. He leaned against his doorway, "so, what brings you here?"

Oh right. That. The awkwardness vanished, replaced by a thick silence. "I, uh, found something in my room. It wasn't there before I left this morning." I was being impossibly vague but I didn't just want to spring it on him.

He nodded slowly, he was confused. "Okay, what did you find?"

I looked down at my hands. "Well, you know the flowers you gave me?"

"Yes?"

"I had left them in the vase on the vanity, where I found them. When I went to shower, they were splayed on the windowsill, completely frozen." Julius was staring intently at me. "I recognized the magical signature on them. It's _hers,_ Julius. She was here. In my room. I don't know how but someone was there." My voice was growing in volume and I began to feel panicked again. "How did this happen?" I grew faint at the end, ending my words in a whisper, struggling to keep my lips from wobbling too much.

Julius pushed off the doorway and wrapped his arms around me. I gratefully accepted the gesture, furrowing my face into his chest and slipping my arms around his waist. I breathed in his warm scent and tried to force the tears back. I was _not_ going to snot all over the Wizard King's shirt.

"Marx. I need you to do a sweep of the castle. Wake anyone you need." It took me a second to realize that Julius wasn't speaking to me, the rumble of his chest as he spoke distracted me from the surroundings.

I heard Marx yawn, "sir, it's late. What's going on?" I felt guilty, the bluenette had probably been asleep by now. I wasn't sure of the time, but it had to be late.

"Though I don't think anyone is still here, there was an intruder in the castle earlier." Julius said gravely.

Marx was sputtering, "are you certain, sir?"

Julius's arms tightened minutely around me. "Yes, it seems they left a little message in the bathroom. Check her bedroom too, and report back to me if you see anything suspicious."

"Is she okay?"

"She will be." I heard a swoop of wind. Marx must have not been here physically then. "Come then." Julius's arms released me and ushered me into his bedroom, the door shutting behind us softly.

I rubbed my arms, taking in his private living area. It was surprisingly neat, however, there were stacks of books, papers, and scrolls littered on his counter-spaces. A warm fireplace crackled in the front of the room, dousing the area in warm glows. There were more walls and arches and doors that probably broke off into his bed and bath area.

"I'm sorry for the mess. I've been researching something for the last couple of days." Julius shut one of the open books. Was he _apologizing_ after I was the one to disturb him with some more bad news? "Why don't you sit down? We'll get to the bottom of this."

He guided me to the couch that sat in front of the fireplace. I sunk into the soft cushions, giving way as Julius joined me. He didn't say anything, simply drawing comforting circles on my hand. He was giving me time, time to collect whatever I needed to collect. "I'm sorry I woke Marx." I mumbled.

I heard his soft chuckle, his hand stopping its movements in favor of squeezing my hand. "I wouldn't worry about Marx. He's used to rather irregular hours."

"I'm sure you have a hand in that."

"Hmm, I do like to keep him on his toes." He was humoring me, sensing that the last thing I wanted to talk about was her. It was the only thing keeping the tears back. I sniffled and pushed my hair behind my ears. It was loose now and somewhat in the way. _My hair pins!_

"That's another thing I lost today. I'm really leaving my things all over the place."

"What's that?"

"Well, I lost my cloak during my fight with Sally. I took it off after it faced some damage. For all I know, it's in a trash pile somewhere." I sighed resentfully. "And now it seems that I dropped all my hair pins too."

"Would you like me to braid your hair?" Julius asked innocently. I faced him with an incredulous look, not quite believing his offer. _Does he even know what he says?_

" _What_? You know how to braid?"

"Of course. Who do you think taught Nozel?" This, I couldn't believe. The _Wizard King_ taught _Nozel Silva_ , infamous captain of the Silver Eagles how to braid? The very same man that caused me to cry once learned from Julius how to do his stupid braided bangs. The accompanying image was so humorous to me, that I bursts into peals of laughter. As my face reddened with glee and my shoulders shook, I felt grateful to Julius. Unintentional or not, it had provided me with a distraction.

" _Ha!_ You taught N-Nozel how to _braid_? I for sure thought he had a servant do his braid for him!"

Julius chuckled, "I never said he was any good at it. Just that I taught him. Unfortunately, he lacked the patience and finesse required. So yes, he does have a servant that does braid his hair for him. You didn't hear it from me."

I held one hand to my chest and raised the other in the air, attempting a straight face, "I swear it!" I tried in my most solemn voice but the words hadn't left my lips before I burst into laughter again. It took a few minutes for me to completely calm down and agree to Julius's offer.

I shifted so my back was to him, though I couldn't see him now, I could feel his warmth. I was buzzing with anticipation as I waited for him to move. His breath danced over the back of my neck as he carefully ran his fingers through my hair. I winced slightly when he caught a few tangles but didn't complain. I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the sensation. My heart began to race the longer I sat there.

Julius was gentle, careful how he weaved my hair together, going slow as to not tear. His breathing tickled my nape and I fought not to squirm. He didn't say a word but continued on his path. It was odd, but it felt extremely intimate, something only a lover would do. Every once in a while his fingers would brush against my skin, leaving hot trails where they went.

I could hear his low hum the further he braided. "Hmm, it seems like I don't have anything to secure the ends."

"It's okay. I don't mind." I stared into the fire, watching the flames flicker and dance. "Julius?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Captain Fuegoleon will be alright?" His hands stopped in their motion, instead moving to land on my shoulders. With my back to him, I couldn't see Julius's expression. I wondered if I should have even asked, the moment shattered.

His fingers dug a little into my skin but not enough to hurt. "I have full faith that Fuegoleon will wake." That wasn't the same thing. "However, I have yet to know the full depth of his injuries." There could be more going on inside Fuegoleon's mind, things we didn't know. I don't know if he'll be able to return to his position. In the meantime, I have to find a replacement."

I shuddered, I knew the Captain's arm had savagely been ripped off. "Who could have done something that terrible?"

"Only Fuegoleon can tell us who did it. We'll have to wait for him to wake up. As long as that takes." I twisted to glance at Julius, his eyes unfocused as they too stared into the fire. After what felt like an eternity, he sighed and flickered his eyes to meet mine, a small smile creeping onto his lips. "As terrible as the ordeal was, I'm glad that you're okay."

"I'm glad you are too." I whispered. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. Maybe he wasn't used to people being worried about him. As the Wizard King, I knew he could handle anything thrown at him, but that didn't mean my concern didn't reach him. "I was worried. When the capital was burning, I kept wondering if you knew, or if you were safe, or out there fighting some boss."

What possessed me to say that, I would never know.

Julius cleared his throat, his eyes avoiding mine. Certain it had to be the fire casting on to him, I could make out a faint flush on his cheeks. "Well, yes. As you can see, I'm fine. I- was dealing with a small matter."

"That's good."

A tension filled the room, both of us unsure of what to do or what to say. Not finding another option, I faced the fireplace again, and Julius continued braiding my hair. We sat in silence but it wasn't bad. I hummed happily as I wiggled my toes, letting Julius do what he wanted with my hair.

*******

When I awoke, I was alone. The sun's bright rays caressed my face, disturbing the peaceful sleep I was in. I blinked at the ceiling before sitting up, the heavy blanket that was placed on me slipped to my lap. I stared at the foreign pattern on the blanket in wonder then I examined the four posts on the bed.

This wasn't my bed.

This wasn't my room.

When did I even fall asleep? Julius was braiding my hair and then… my eyes widened into the size of saucers. My mouth nearly dropped open as I fisted the silk sheets. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to relax. _This is Julius's bed. I'm in his bed. I slept in his bed. His bed._ My brain was short circuiting, I couldn't process this.

 _Take a deep, deep,_ _ **deep**_ _breath._ If I was in his bed, then where was Julius? I felt guilty, did he even sleep?

As if hearing my brain hard at work, there was a quiet knock on the door. I stared at it for a second before slipping out of the bed and padding over to the door. I twisted the doorknob and smiled in relief when I saw Julius standing on the other side. He was fully dressed in his Wizard King robes, a warm smile on his face.

"Good morning. I was wondering if I'd have to have the royal orchestra wake you." He teased. I scowled playfully. It wasn't a secret that I was a heavy sleeper, but that was once I actually _got_ to sleep.

"Oh, haha. Go ahead, laugh at the poor refugee." I had the overwhelming urge to stick my tongue out at him.

He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms, his eyes sparkling. "Well, in about half an hour you won't be." My face was blank until it hit me, _that's right! I'm meeting the king. Today. In a few minutes. Wait, what time is it?_

I gasped a little, "I'm not late am I?" Julius said the king wanted to meet first thing in the morning. One glance out the window proved that it wasn't quite the crack of dawn. The sun was much too high in the sky for that.

"No, Augustus likes to sleep in. First thing in the morning means around noon for him. Luckily, you have time for a quick breakfast." Julius straightened up and produced a muffin out of thin air. "Here, it's blueberry."

I took the offered pastry with a small flush. Something was different, like something had changed, a shift from last night. There was a slight tension in the air now, heavier than the spark I constantly felt around Julius. _I wonder if last night had anything to do with that. NO! What am I thinking? I'm just imagining the tension._

I carefully finished the muffin, trying not to eat like a complete buffoon in front of the Wizard King. "Thank you." I said, wiping off any spare crumbs. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I devoured the thing in record time.

"We'll have a bigger lunch, I know there was no time to eat last night. The king is expecting us in a bit, so I'll give you some time to get ready." Dread filled my soul as I realized that I had just woken up, and I probably looked a fright. I frowned and ran my hand over my hair, stopping once I felt the braid. It was still intact, not a hair out of place. Julius was more skilled than I thought.

"Um, I have to head to my room then, all my clothes are there…" Truthfully, after last night, the last thing I wanted to do was go into that room. It was forever spoiled by the invasion.

"No need to worry about that, Meredith took the liberty to bring you some clothes." He gestured to the neat pile of clothes on the top of his dresser. I nearly skipped over to the furniture and fingered the soft fabric of the dress Meredith picked for me. _I didn't even notice that. Bless her soul._

I stepped into the adjoining bathroom and quickly freshened up and changed. I managed to look presentable but I frowned a little once I pulled the dress on. It was definitely a lovely thing, perfectly formed to my body, and a deep plum color. It was the cut that had me hesitating.

It was so...immodest. Again, I mourned my cloak. "Why would Meredith pick _this_ dress? I'm meeting the king! Not going to a brothel." I muttered. _I can't face Julius like this!_ My face dropped into my hands and I peeked through my fingers. _This is fine. You can do this. Just march out with your head held high!_

I exhaled sharply before tossing my shoulders back and walking out of the bathroom. Julius was standing with his back to me, looking out the window. "I'm ready to go."

He turned, a smile on his face, before he saw me and froze. _Oh no, he hates it. I look terrible, I knew it!_ "Meredith, you smart woman, you." He said it so low, I nearly missed it.

"Um, does it look okay?" I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around me and hide.

"Oh, more than okay." I immediately flushed at the compliment. "You look beautiful."

"T-thank you."

"Hmm, now, shall we go meet the king?"

*******

I nervously stood next to Julius as I scanned the throne room. This was much more open, sheer curtains overlapped in the center, creating an oasis of sorts. I heard someone clear their throat, followed by feminine giggles. I looked over at Julius, he gave me a small smile and rolled his eyes before kneeling and I was quick to join him.

The curtains parted dramatically, I curiously peered into the opening. There was a daybed in the middle of the curtains, a brunette man lied on it, surrounded by young, beautiful, women who fed him grapes. It was a little tasteless. Judging the elaborate crown he wore, he no doubt was the king of the Clover Kingdom.

It was odd, but Julius looked more the part of king than this man.

The king lifted his hand in the air, the females stopped feeding him grapes and he slowly sat up, lifting his head from the lap of a blonde. His eyes were immediately drawn to me, or rather my chest. I tensed instantly as the king eyed me like a piece of meat. I felt so exposed.

"Well Julius? Aren't you going to introduce us?" Even his voice was grating, pompous and condescending. He could very well introduce himself.

I heard a quiet sigh come from the Wizard King. He stood, motioning for me to do the same. _Can't I stay like this? Scrunched up? If I stand…_ "Allow me to introduce King Augustus Kira Clover the XIII."

I politely curtsied, resisting the urge to shudder as the king eyed my body appreciatively. I had never in my life been so objectified. "This is-"

"I know who she is!" _Didn't he just demand an introduction? Did he just want to be called by name and title?_ I was getting the idea that he wasn't a very good king. "Come closer, let the king take a look at you." I sharply looked at Julius, his face perfectly indifferent, but I saw the small nod he gave me.

I began walking over, feeling both sets of eyes on me. I stood in front of the steps and curtsied once more. The king smiled toothily, it was all I had not to grimace. Instead, I was the picture of docile, years of acting paying off.

"Well aren't you a pretty thing. Where Julius had the fortune to run into you…" He said salaciously.

I frowned, was he not privy to the information concerning me? "Oh, we met-"

"I know the details!" A vein in his forehead protruding slightly as he yelled. I leaned back a little, grimacing as spittle flew in my direction. Abrupt as it was, the king simply readjusted his crown and cleared his throat once more. " _Ahem._ I was told about your case. As Julius must have told you, I need to sign off on your citizenship. Before I do that, I must know what kind of person you are. I can't simply allow just _anyone_ to become a Clover citizen." King Clover told me haughtily.

I nodded slightly, not wanting to speak and get yelled at again. As bad as the first impression of him was, I needed his approval to officially become a Clover citizen. Drawing his ire was a risk that I couldn't take.

It was the right thing to do when the King rubbed his chin and continued on his spiel. "The Diamond Kingdom is filled with filth, those evil mages are constantly attacking our wonderful country, no doubt due to envy over our power. But I understand that you were held against your will for so long, Julius gave me all the information I needed to make a decision, however I wanted to meet you face to face."

"Normally, I would never entertain the idea of granting amnesty to an enemy country. Julius has assured me that you are no danger to us and that you wish for a peaceful life." King Clover leaned in, leer on his face. "I'm inclined to provide you with that citizenship. Lovely ladies like yourself need a gentle hand." His eyes left a slimy feeling over me as he so obviously ogled me. "I would be more than happy to approve your citizenship. You are staying in the Capital, are you not?"

"Yes?" I was unsure whether to answer him or not, the question seemed to have more weight on it.

He sat back, waving his hand in the air lazily, the women joining him once more. "Welcome to the Clover Kingdom, Julius or Marx will explain all your new rights as a citizen. You may leave." I blinked as the curtains closed, effectively cutting off our conversation. I stood there for a few more moments before slowly backing away.

Julius was waiting for me by the door, beckoning me to follow him. We left the throne room and the doors had barely shut when I spun to stare at Julius incredulously. "That's the king?"

He simply chuckled, "yes, he's quite the character, don't you agree?"

"I have never been so objectified! Does he always act in that way?" I shuddered at the memory of the king eyeing me like a three course meal. "Then this dress! I should have never worn it!"

"Actually it was the dress that helped finalize your citizenship." I closed my mouth and stared bewildered at Julius. What was he _talking_ about? "The king has certain...tastes if you must. Did you notice how he barely asked anything about you? How easily he gave his approval?"

"Come to think of it, he was kind of occupied with trying to look down my dress…" I was so lost in thought that I missed the flash in Julius's eyes. " _Oh,_ that's what you meant when you said Meredith was smart."

"She better than most knows the king very well. You look wonderful, of course, but the king is easily distracted by that. He would never grant citizenship to anyone from the Diamond Kingdom, especially without submitting them to intense interrogation."

I pursed my lips, hated the situation as I did, I couldn't deny the brilliance of the plan. "He asked if I was staying in the Capital." I knew that Julius was allowing me to stay here but how permanent could that be? I was a citizen now. _Oh my, I'm a citizen!_ The whole interaction had left me a little shaken and I hadn't realized the implications. I was no longer a Diamond mage.

"Did he now? And what did you say?"

"I said yes but…" I trailed off, not wanting to come across as brash.

"Would you like to stay here? I'd prefer it if you did." _Wait what?_ "We can't simply forget about last night, you could still be in danger, the castle is the safest place for you." _Oh, that's what he meant._

Nevertheless, a smile broke across my face. Relief washed over me, in the back of my mind, I was worried that the moment received the king's stamp, that I would have to leave the castle, leave Julius. "I'd love to stay here. There's still so much left to explore!"

Julius's warm laugh heated my cheeks. _This is bad. So bad._ "I'll have to give you a tour sometime. There's more secret passages you should know." He grinned mischievously. "Oh, there's one more thing, now that you met the king and you have your citizenship."

I tilted my head curiously, Julius seemed nervous about something, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding my gaze. "What is it?"

He cleared his throat, "I was waiting for Augustus to give his approval before giving it to you. I had a few adjustments made, it was a little tricky, the material used is very rare." What was he getting at? It was endearing to see the Wizard King so flustered.

"Julius?"

He sighed and flicked his wrist, one of his blue orbs popping in the air suddenly. I squinted, there was something in there...the orb vanished, whatever was in it dropped into Julius's waiting hands. "I found it early this morning and had Meredith fix it up."

My heart began thudding as I moved closer. He couldn't be talking about- I gasped as tears began filling my eyes. I looked at the fabric in Julius's hands before looking at his face. "H-how?" It was my cloak.

"You came here with very little possessions. I would hate it for you to lose anymore." Julius said, as if that simple statement was enough, as if he didn't know the magnitude of this action. This was the _kindest, most considerate_ thing anyone had _ever_ done for me. Words could not even begin to explain how I felt. "May I?" He pointed at my shoulders and I gratefully nodded.

He swung the cloak over my shoulders, clasping the top of it, and smoothing it down, much like I had. His hands were warm and gentle and I was sure I was babbling like a baby but I didn't care. The burns where Sally's spells had hit were fixed, no sign of ever being damaged. The most shocking part was the Diamond insignia that I grew to hate was now replaced with a Clover.

I exhaled, running my fingers over the new patch, before launching myself into Julius's arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" It appeared he was anticipating this, because he didn't freeze like in the temple, Julius's arms instantly wrapped around my waist, squeezing me with a warmth I never felt. I was glad to simply take in his comforting smell, burrowing my head into his chest.

We stood there, time unimportant as we embraced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, I HAVE POSTED AGAIN. Yeah this is mostly fluff but there's also the fact that the Reader isn't out of the woods, she can't catch a break huh? ALSO HAVING SOMEONE BRAID OR BRUSH YOUR HAIR IS LIKE THE MOST INTIMATE THING. At least in my opinion lol, I never let people go near my head so maybe it's just me. Tell me what you guys think, I read and respond to every comment. 
> 
> AS always, THANK YOU for joining me on this journey!


	8. VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late post! I had some stuff come up that I will explain in the ending note. Believe me, this chapter is the WORST.

**Black Clover**

**VIII**

_He sighed and flicked his wrist, one of his blue orbs popping in the air suddenly. I squinted, there was something in there...the orb vanished, whatever was in it dropped into Julius's waiting hands. "I found it early this morning and had Meredith fix it up."_

_My heart began thudding as I moved closer. He couldn't be talking about- I gasped as tears began filling my eyes. I looked at the fabric in Julius's hands before looking at his face. "H-how?" It was my cloak._

_"You came here with very little possessions. I would hate it for you to lose anymore." Julius said, as if that simple statement was enough, as if he didn't know the magnitude of this action. This was the kindest, most considerate thing anyone had ever done for me. Words could not even begin to explain how I felt. "May I?" He pointed at my shoulders and I gratefully nodded._

_He swung the cloak over my shoulders, clasping the top of it, and smoothing it down, much like I had. His hands were warm and gentle and I was sure I was babbling like a baby but I didn't care. The burns where Sally's spells had hit were fixed, no sign of ever being damaged. The most shocking part was the Diamond insignia that I grew to hate was now replaced with a Clover._

_I exhaled, running my fingers over the new patch, before launching myself into Julius's arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" It appeared he was anticipating this, because he didn't freeze like in the temple, Julius's arms instantly wrapped around my waist, squeezing me with a warmth I never felt. I was glad to simply take in his comforting smell, burrowing my head into his chest._

_We stood there, time unimportant as we embraced._

As all things must inevitably end, so did our embrace. It was not done without hesitation, both of us unsure who should step away first. If Julius was counting on me to be the first one to step away, then he was sorely mistaken. I could have stood there, wrapped in his arms forever, enjoying the comfort his scent seemed to bring. _Even_ if the fur lining his robe was tickling my nose.

In the end, it was Marx, stumbling upon us that shook me out of my daydreams.

"Sir, I'm glad I found you-" I froze at the sudden intrusion, snapping me out of the bubble of our embrace. I immediately dropped my arms and stepped away, as if I was on fire. I looked around Julius's imposing figure and recognized Marx standing a few feet away. He was red in the face, "I apologize for intruding…"

It occurred to me that this was the first time I had seen Marx face to face. "Hello Marx." I waved, trying to diffuse the tension. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea because from where he was standing, he interrupted something important. He waved weakly, trying to avoid my eyes. Was he this easy to embarrass? I definitely was. My own face burned at being caught touching the Wizard King in such a familiar and intimate manner. I kept forgetting my place, acting much too familiar with Julius. It needed to stop.

_He took the time to find my cloak..._

Marx smiled tightly. "How did the meeting with the king go?" I didn't ask how he knew. Julius must have told him.

"It went really well!" I didn't disclose how uncomfortable I felt around the king, I was trying to focus on the good parts. "I'm officially a Clover Citizen." I said proudly, my chest puffing slightly.

"Congratulations!" Marx said, genuinely happy for me. "I know you'll do just great here."

"Ah, hi there Marx." Julius finally answered, I was starting to wonder if he would ever say anything. His tone was light and casual like always but there seemed to be a hint of annoyance there as well. He cleared his throat, as if just remembering something. "Is everything ready?"

"We've set everything up like you asked." Julius hummed next to me, "the people will gather in the square as soon as you're ready. We have magic transmitters that will broadcast in every village and town throughout the entire kingdom. Whenever you're ready, sir."

As if sensing my confusion, Julius explained. "The attack on the Capital has shattered some of the trust the citizens have in the Magic Knights and rightfully so. It was the lack of vigilance that allowed something this terrible to happen. We must do what we can to restore the people's faith, as Wizard King, it's part of my duty to make sure I do what I can to reassure the people. We've started setting up some relief centers and construction is already well on its way. To do that, I'm addressing the people in a public speech."

My eyebrows shot up, they had already begun rebuilding? That was very fast. What a sheer difference from the Diamond Kingdom. Villages that were attacked or ransacked or damaged were never repaired, even if it was the kingdom's own knights doing the damage. It was easier to abandon and rebuild somewhere else. In my brief time outside with the army, I had seen many ghost towns, more often than not inhabited by something unpleasant. "You're giving a speech? Where?"

He pointed down the hallway. "I'm going to broadcast it over in the grand balcony. You're very welcome to join if you'd like. It would do wonders to have your support." The heady flush returned to my face.

"I'd love to go!" I would not pass up on a chance to see Julius in this position. Every time he spoke, I fell under his spell, able to listen to the timbre of his voice for hours. Would the citizens think the same way?

"Wonderful." He grinned at me and I returned it.

Marx cleared his throat. "Well, if it's been decided, we should head over now. Then we can get to the other part." Right, we weren't alone.

"Yes, of course, Marx. Lead the way." Julius tore his eyes away from me. We began following Marx while thoughts plagued my head. I was right, something _had_ changed. At least on my part. I found Julius incredibly attractive, that much was true, from the very first meeting I thought so. This thudding in my chest, thinking we were the only two people, every touch, set me aflame. My _feelings were getting stronger_.

_He's done so much and been so kind to me, is it really a surprise that my feelings have grown?_

_Under such short time though?… Control yourself! Julius is the Wizard King, he could have anyone! Why would he settle for a weak, damaged, diamond mage who so easily allows what others say affect her?_ It was a forlorn revelation, but it was most realistic. Julius was undeniably kind, surely it was me misinterpreting his actions. He was doing what he would have done for anyone.

I barely noticed when we came to a stop, nearly crashing head first into Julius's back. Thankfully, the two men hadn't noticed me dazing off and I managed to catch myself before I collided with the very man who occupied my thoughts.

Julius turned around, looking a little surprised to see how close I was. Marx took the time to chime in. "We're here, sir." Where was here? I took a moment to look around the room we were in. It was large and open, leading to double doors in the center of the room. Doors that led to where Julius would speak to the populace.

I opened my mouth to ask what we were waiting on, then promptly shut it. There was a sense of uneasiness that gathered in my stomach. Before I could ruminate on the reasons any longer, it made itself clear. A large presence of magical energy was coming towards us, creeping under the doors of the room, a few puffs of petals forcing their way under.

The magic energy was getting stronger and the doors dramatically burst open with a loud chatter. My eyes were wide and I felt shivers down my spine as the Magic Knight captains argued amongst themselves. It made sense that they would be here to support the Wizard King, they were under his direct command but it didn't mean that it wasn't surprising.

To my distaste, Nozel was the first to enter and instead of the dignified, sneering noble I expected to see, he was rather red in the face, bickering with Yami. I was glad to see Yami was here, his burly presence was familiar to me. "One day I will personally see to it that you are executed, foreigner." Nozel hissed out, strengthening at once when Julius cleared his throat, the flush on his face grew brighter. "Lord Julius! I didn't see you there."

"Bahaha! What was that you were saying, fancy-braid?" Yami bellowed and I had to admit it was pretty hilarious, a small giggle popped out. Nozel fixed Yami with a glare to freeze lava, before his silvery eyes landed on mine, narrowing minutely. I felt like I should be terrified of the royal captain, but after what Julius had told me about his braid, my giggles became increasingly harder to hold in.

"Hello, Yami." I greeted, covering my mouth slightly as I spoke, trying not to let my laughs escape.

A cloud of smoke blew in my face, instantly causing my eyes to water from the smoke. "Hey, you're here too. I heard what happened from Asta and Noelle, seems you have shitty luck." _Tell me about it._ I coughed as the smoke tickled my throat.

" _Men._ Have you no manners? Blowing smoke into a young girl's face like that?" Charlotte pushed forward, crossing her arms, and glaring at Yami. Her cold persona dropped when she addressed me, a stunning smile spread across her lips. "Hello, we haven't had the chance to meet yet. I'm Captain Charlotte Roselei." It was such a one eighty from her interaction with Yami.

Her smile was so beautiful that I was momentarily stunned by her. I heard Finral lament on the beauty of Charlotte Roselei but it was a little disorientating to see it in person.

I gave her my own smile, instantly liking this woman. She was strong, of course, being a captain, but she was also one of the two _female_ captains, so I knew she could hold her own against any of these men. She also was one of the few to actually be kind to me, not holding my Diamond heritage against me. There was no way Charlotte _didn't_ know about me, so I appreciated her kindness immensely. "Hi, I'm-"

"Keh, keh, keh. What was the meaning of shoving me back there, Sukehiro?" I saw a flash of green as another captain came forward, this one thin as a stick, but the mana coming off him warned not to take him lightly. "Do you really wish for death that much?"

"Uh, I dunno, cause it was funny?" Yami offered. I got the idea that he often antagonized the other captains. Very fitting.

"Now, now, as captains, we must lead by example. Surely we don't want our guest to think this of our customs." I felt the blood freeze in my body as a new magical signature entered the room, dashing the light mood that was in place as my grin trembled before dropping. My eyes dropped to the ground, I didn't want to look up, scared of the outcome. It was the same. The same mana I felt in the temple, it was _here._

I felt sick to my stomach, suddenly terrified of looking up into the face of the new captain. Because at that level of mana, he could only be a captain. I could have choked on the thickness of the mana, the _familiarity_ of it. My eyes flickered to Julius, praying that he was sensing this too. _Or maybe not, actually, I hope I'm wrong. Did I want to be right?_ His smile remained ever still, not dropping for a moment. Nothing he did seemed amiss, it was like he didn't even notice. Could I be imagining it? Was I wrong? Was I mistaking it and it was two separate people?

But it couldn't be. I would never forget the signature but I admit, it was unlikely. If Julius didn't seem the least bit troubled, maybe I was wrong? As much as I wanted to believe in my abilities, my faith in my mana wasn't absolute. Not anymore. I gritted my teeth and finally tore my eyes from the ground, ready to face this strange source of magic. My eyes met beautiful violet ones, nearly drawing a small gasp from me. A slight man stood in the entrance, his outfit elaborate, curiously, he wore a mask that covered half his face. Red and blue with pompoms. I pursed my lips, coming to one conclusion, it was slightly tacky. By the looks of his robe, one that matched the ones Mimosa, Klaus, and Yuno wore, this was the captain of the illustrious Golden Dawn.

"Hey, Vangeance. Long time no see." Yami lazily waved. I frowned, maybe I _was_ misreading the mana. Now that he came closer, I could tell it was slightly different, not as strong. The one in the temple had challenged even Julius's power but this wasn't quite there. As sensitive as I was to mana, I would be able to tell if he was attempting to suppress his magic. But he wasn't.

Could it be coincidence then? It was certainly odd, no two people possessed the same _exact_ magical signature, but these were basically twins, the only real difference between them was the varying shades of the petals, one was a darker shade and the other more of a lilac. I snuck a glance at Julius, wondering if I should tell him of my suspicions or keep quiet. If I decided, it would have to wait until after all the captains were gone.

"Yami." Captain Vangeance nodded at him, before directing his gaze at me, a warm smile in place. I gulped but nervously returned his. If he _was_ the same mage from the temple, I wasn't about to alert him to me. It was important to have the upper hand when trying the element of surprise. "Hello, I'm William Vangeance, you must be the diamond mage that had all the magic knights in a tizzy yesterday. I hope everyone is treating you well and I apologize if anyone from my squad acted in a manner unbefitting." His eyes darted quickly to where Nozel stood, his words a passive jab at him.

I wanted to gape at him, besides Julius, no one else had bothered to make up for yesterday. Even if he was the same mage, I couldn't remain silent, and I found myself slightly warmed by his words. "Oh, thank you but the apology isn't needed, everyone was perfectly kind." I waved my hands in the air, no matter how rude anyone had been to me at the banquet, I didn't wish any trouble on them. There was enough to deal with the attack on the capital, it just seemed petty to stay upset about something so insignificant. "It was a warmer reception than I had hoped for, I can't say the Diamond Kingdom would be so welcoming." I chuckled lightly.

I could _feel_ Nozel's piercing eyes on me, he was probably thinking I was going to expose him or something like that. I shrugged off the sensation and smiled at the Golden Dawn Captain.

"Actually, William, she's now a Clover Kingdom citizen." Julius corrected, all the eyes of the captains flying towards him. "As of this morning, the king has recognized her as a new citizen." I couldn't help the proud smile that grew on my face. I decidedly would _not_ look at Nozel. When I found the time, alone, I would cry tears of joy, but that would be then and not now.

"Then I suppose congratulations are in order." William was unbelievably kind but I was still feeling that uneasiness, so my smile felt more forced than it should have, even though I desperately hoped I was wrong, I wouldn't be able to be one hundred percent genuine until I felt sure. As if following his lead, I heard murmurs of congratulations from all the captains, gratefully accepting them.

Julius clapped his hands together. "Now that we've cleared that and all of you are present, we can begin in calming the people together. I shouldn't have to remind you of why I called you all here. We need to present a united front for the people, to show them that they can rest easy as long as our Magic Knight Captains fight for their rights."

I could feel the bristle of mana as the captains took in his words as admonishments. I had to marvel at Julius, he commanded a room so effortlessly. Even if he _was_ Wizard King. The Magic Knight Captains stood straight, their backs and mana at attention. Julius smiled kindly at his knights before turning to face the doors. He squared his shoulders and pushed them open, the cries from the audience deafening as he stepped out onto the balcony.

One by one, his captains all followed, taking their positions on the balcony as well. Yami patted my shoulder heavily, nearly knocking me over as he passed. Nozel's cool glare did nothing to dissuade me. I matched his stare cooly, I was _not_ going to let him intimidate me. At least visibly.

Marx cleared his throat and beckoned his head towards the balcony. I looked at him with confusion. Was it for me? I pointed at myself to be sure and was a little surprised when he nodded. "You want me to join Julius and the captians out there? Why?" I whispered.

He looked uncertain as how to answer my question. "Your support is important as well. You don't have to, I'm sure the Wizard King would understand but I think he'd appreciate having you close."

What do I even make of that? I stared at him for a moment but realized I couldn't wait all day. I quickly smoothed down my hair and followed Marx into the blinding sunlight.

"People of the Clover Kingdom, as you are aware, there was an attack on the royal capital yesterday. An enemy to the Clover Kingdom, the Eye of the Midnight Sun, lay in wait and struck when the moment was right. It was due to our careless actions that something this terrible happened, and for that, I am sorry. You placed your trust in us and we failed. Forgiveness cannot be repaired so easily, just as words cannot replace actions."

Watching Julius address the awaiting populace was something else. He stood there, in the center of the balcony, and if I thought he was a god before, I was sorely mistaken. The sun sprinkled down on him, he radiated power and when he spoke, it was with certainty, with conviction.

"We have begun rebuilding and have shelters where aid can be found, I know this alone cannot atone for the horrors of yesterday but believe in us, in the Magic Knights, this will **not** happen again. We will strike back against this foul opponent, we will show them that the Clover Kingdom is not a country to make an enemy of. We will not take this lying down, we will show the Eye of the Midnight Sun what happens to those that dare attack our forces."

I stood off to the side, behind Marx and the captains. I could see the sea of people flocking the square. They were never ending, flooding into the streets when there was no room in the square. I could see the floating transmitters that were broadcasting his speech to those in the outskirts of the country. Julius looked every bit the rightful leader and if I didn't know any better, Julius would be king.

_Speaking of king, shouldn't the king be here?_ Julius alone was speaking, there was no sign of King Clover, he hadn't even stepped out to reassure anyone. In the few minutes I was in his presence, I found the king to be pretty repulsive, but I had thought that maybe his leadership skills were better.

But he wasn't here.

What kind of king didn't even bother to make an appearance?

"Citizens of the Clover Kingdom, rest assured that this action will be met with swift and severe punishment. We Magic Knights will not rest until the enemy who attacked us is defeated. We will not allow this to happen again. Continue to have faith in us, your Magic Knights, we will protect this country with all we are. If you're watching, The Eye of the Midnight Sun, you will be destroyed." Julius finished off the end of his speech and was met with outstanding cheers and support.

It was incredible to watch. The people obviously respected and trusted Julius immensely, their cheers were deafening, they were certain that they were safe, taking his words as absolute. And more than anything I wanted to believe his words just as the people did. However that odd magical energy I sensed from the Captain of the Golden Dawn spooked me, unable to shake off these feelings; I could not take the words to heart. Even if it was sheer coincidence.

"Excuse me." Nozel said, his tone clipped. I blinked, before belatedly moving aside, allowing the captains to file out. Julius smiled apologetically, offering me his arm as he came to stand before me.

"You'll have to forgive Nozel. He comes off as rather cold but you'll find that he's quite the caring soul under all that."

I subconsciously slipped my arm through the nook of his elbow, allowing him to lead me out. "I guess it's _really deep_ down in there." I muttered, slightly bitter.

"Excavation tools are required, I'm afraid." I rolled my eyes, grimacing when I realized we stepped into the room. The room full of Magic Knight Captains.

_The Spade Kingdom is_ _**not** _ _far enough. Where's Yami from again? Better yet, I'll go to the Forest of Witches. There's no men allowed there and that would solve most of my problems._

I began moving to yank my arm out of Julius's but his grip held firm. Couldn't he see the captains? Or the way they were just staring? When I had no choice but to resign to my fate, nothing could hide the new, violent flush that coated my entire face.

"Now those words weren't just for the people, I hope you captains also took them to heart. I've said this before and I'll say it again, we cannot allow this to happen again. Failure is not an option. We need to work harder, all of us." Julius said, sounding every bit like a father scolding his children: firm but still encouraging.

"Sir!"

*******

Three hours later, I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed, elbows propped on my knees; watching as my grimoire lazily turned its pages, revealing all the spells I possessed to me. It had been a while since I'd taken the time to look over the spells woven throughout the book. For the last few years, I had refrained from opening the thing. Apparently a grimoire that could be summoned instantaneously and never severed from its owner was an area of interest as far as the Diamond Kingdom was concerned. Time and time after other knights would try to poke their noses where they didn't belong and try to take my grimoire away from me, as if it were something tangible.

I was at the moment much more interested in the new spell I learned. I knew it had to be towards the end of the book, but I wasn't rushing it. I liked looking at my spells, they were all elegantly scripted, in handwriting much neater than I could ever hope to replicate. My family's flowers curled over each end of the spells, acting as a border separating the spells on each page.

My heart skipped and I frowned as my grimoire flipped to a basic mana shield. I blinked rapidly, was I seeing things? _What was that on the page before?_ Flipping back to the page before the shield, my eyes widened as I took in the spell printed on the page. I was completely unfamiliar with it; I did not know its ability, what it could do, or even when I got it. Instead of the beautiful, flowy, lilac, calligraphy that all my spells incorporated, this was an unreadable, blotchy, black mess hidden in the middle of my grimoire. I leaned closer to it, forcing my grimoire to solidified more, my nose nearly pressed against the pages as I tried to understand the spell, if I could even call it that.

I slipped one finger in between the pages, keeping the another in place as a bookmark and manually flipped to the back of the grimoire. As I suspected, the new spell that I learned was already there in place, a light lavender color and bound by tiny buds. Its name etched at the top of the page, _Mana Counter._ _Wait, is that its name? It's so...simple. But I guess it's a simple spell._ Thankfully, there was a small description of the spell right under the name. _So I can absorb an offensive spell and it remains fully charged in my body until I decide to let it out? When released it then becomes twice the original attack's strength?_ That could be very useful in the future and even though it didn't do me much good in the end, that spell had aided me in my fight against Sally. It at least stopped her from killing me right on the spot.

_Okay, so that's what that spell does. Back to my original thought. What does the_ _ **other one**_ _do?_ I flipped back to where my finger was holding my spot. If the spell at the back was the one I learned, then what was this? I couldn't make out any letters, the blotches looking more like an explosion of black ink than a type of writing. Was it even a spell? I had never heard of grimoires having black splotches in the middle of the page. It added another item to my ever growing list of worries.

At the top of my list, a few things battled it out for dominance as my main source of agitation. The message from the Winter Lady for one, how she got in was a mystery and what she wanted was even more of one. The strange mana that came off the captain of the Golden Dawn was another, the attack on the capital was fresh in my mind, and recently my purpose in life was in question because nothing paired with problems better than existential crises.

But despite all those mounting issues, issues that normally would have had any sage person bowing under the weight of it all, one specific incident that I hadn't even mentioned in the previous listings because its sheer leveling of priority was in a league all of its own. And just what could this concern that was arguably _worse_ than all those previously mentioned? Sure the strange hieroglyphics could be anything, but this would surely doom my existence.

I bit my lip as my fists clenched the blue sheets of the much bigger bed that I now had. I suppose it could be a blessing as well as a curse. In all honesty, I had been absolutely dreading going back to my room, fearful of the lingering magic the Winter Lady left behind. She may not have been there any longer but her presence lingered in the air, freezing my bones. The last thing I wanted to do was go back to that place. I knew that staying there guaranteed one thing, that I would never sleep again.

Even though the guards swept the castle, I was terrified of what it meant. It meant that she had gotten in and had done nothing but leave a message. A message that I couldn't decipher. She had gotten so _close_ , she so close to _me_ and didn't do _anything_. Why? _Why?_ What sick game was she playing? Was there something larger at arm? It was driving me insane and being in the same room where she was, was torture.

So I _suppose_ it was a blessing that Julius was considerate enough to move me from that room to a newer, larger, Winter Lady-free environment, modeled much like a suite. And I _suppose_ I was pleased to see that it was even lovelier than my old room, done up in pleasing, feminine colors. It held a much nicer view, overlooking the lake, and, to my never ending delight, had its very own _fireplace_. (Which was wonderfully crackling away) All in all, it was in every way more than I could ever _dream_ of. There was only one, _tiny, insignificant_ issue. One that Myrna had gleefully reveled in telling me as she led me to my new chambers.

_Myrna clapped as she led me through a few familiar halls. There was flour on her dress and hair, a sign that she was in the kitchens today. Julius had turned to me after the captains and Marx left, sighing, "Unfortunately, this is where our time ends. I sent Marx ahead, promising to catch up after I settle you."_

_I had no doubt that he was going to interrogate the prisoner he caught. "Settle me?"_

" _Yes, I'll have Meredith escort you to your new room." He chuckled at my confused expression, "you didn't think I'd make you sleep in the same room after what happened last night?"_

_He left shortly after, giving me a warm smile as he passed. As soon as I was left alone, I let out a huge sigh, all the tension from the morning gone. Almost immediately, the doors opened and to my surprise, Myrna's head popped out from between the doors._

" _Hi there! Nice to see you again! How was your day? Did you hear about the attack on the capital yesterday? Such a shame, honestly. I was visiting my sister in Raque, so I had no idea what was going on until I got to work this morning. Imagine my disbelief. Wow, that speech the Wizard King gave? Amazing. I swear, he's the absolute best! Anyways, I'm here to take you to your new room." She said all that in one breath._ _ **One.**_

" _Hello. I'll follow your lead."  
_

" _Of course! Leave it to me!" To my shock, she looped her arm through mine and began walking briskly out the room, nearly dragging me. "C'mon, keep up will yah?" She teased, before launching off on another tangent while I attempted to match her pace._

_I huffed, allowing Myrna to pull me gleefully down the halls. "Oooh! You are so lucky! You got an upgrade so quickly!" Her rambunctious attitude had yet to rub off on me. I furrowed my eyebrows once we passed my old bedroom. My new room was in the same hall? It didn't strike me as odd, the castle was a very spacious place, one hallway could easily stretch several rooms. "You're gonna have a ball!"_

_I decided to indulge her. "Why's that?" The more we walked, the more the realization dawned on me. These walls were very familiar._

_She grinned at me mischievously. "You'll never guess who your neighbor is!" I skidded to a stop, simply staring at the redhead. "C'mon, I'll give you three guesses!"_

_I only needed one._

My room was moved to the one neighboring Julius's.

It was _comforting_ knowing that the only thing separating us was a wall. It was also entirely and utterly nerve wracking. It made complete and logical sense to be moved closer once the risk of threat had arisen. Did I mention it was nerve wracking?

I sighed and released my hold on the sheets, swinging my feet to the ground and pushing off the bed to stand. "No reason to stay cooped up like this." I muttered, stretching my arms over my head. After Myrna had escorted me to my new room, she had bowed and left me alone, mentioning something about a cake that needed constant attention.

Julius was off doing the rest of his daily duties, including interrogating the new prisoners. Imagine my surprise when I was told that _Charmy_ had captured another infiltrator and bound her in place with an incredible show of magic and strength. _Those Black Bulls really know how to show out…_ That meant that I was left to my own devices. I was free to do whatever I wanted, well almost.

" _One last thing, please." Julius's suddenly concerned eyes met mine. "I'm afraid I'll be occupied the rest of the day so until then, you'll have to entertain yourself." I nodded, understanding. If there was one thing I was was good at, it was keeping busy. "You can do whatever it is you like but I do have one condition."_

" _No venturing into forbidden west wings?" I asked, a gleam in my eyes._

_Julius chuckled deeply, the warm sound nearly caused me to shiver in my boots. "Not quite. Though you are free to explore, I do ask that you stay in the castle. Until we can determine there's no threat, I'd feel better if you stayed on castle grounds. It's the safest and closest place you can be."_

My eyes scanned my new rooms, having already explored every inch of it. It was modeled similarly to Julius's, with a larger sitting area at the entrance on the room, breaking off into separate, smaller rooms that held my bed and bath. The room was fully furnished and also came with a lovely balcony.

I didn't want to sit and do nothing. If I did that for too long, my worries would creep back to the front of my mind. I clipped my cloak over my new clothes, a bit more modest compared to what I was wearing earlier, leaving the plum dress crumpled on a chair, and swung my door open enthusiastically. I rubbed my hands gleefully together, _exploring time, here I come!_

*******

To my complete and utter disappointment, I found nothing worthwhile. The castle was large and lascivious but surprisingly empty. Expensive decorations filled the halls but they lacked...life. It was all empty and devoid of cheer. As if someone had selected the most expensive furniture but didn't actually care how they came together.

Then, many of the doors remained closed, whether under the lock of key or sealed by some kind of mana, it was intriguing but I couldn't pry open the doors. Even if I could, something told me Julius wouldn't be too pleased if I began breaking down doors. As I passed the sixteenth unopenable door, I began to feel distinctly irritated. I couldn't find any secret passageways, the entrances too obscure to find without Julius's aid.

At this point, I would gratefully stumble onto a torture chamber just to curve the edge of boredom. My fingers tapped on the gold inlaid walls as I turned right. There was no particular reason for heading in that direction but it was better than going nowhere at all. I stopped in front of a silver vase I swore I had already . Perhaps it was best to retreat to my room and then try again later. Once I found someone to take me around.

In all the time that I had spent 'exploring' I had not seen a single soul in the empty hallways. Julius had told me it could be days before you saw another person but I had taken that as part of his exaggeration. Now, I believe he was one hundred percent earnest. "Yeah, okay, I'll just head back to my bedroom. I can take up knitting or something. I could start keeping a journal?"

I pivoted to head back to my chambers but frowned. Where _exactly_ was my room? All the halls looked the same and I lost count of how many corners I turned. Twin patches of heat formed on my cheeks as the realization began to sink it. I was lost. _Are you kidding me? How do you get lost inside?_ Even worse, as I took in the solitary halls, I knew I was entirely on my own.

As the minutes began to slip by and I had yet to find another being, I began to lose hope. In any other situation, this would have been hilarious, because really, who else but me could get lost indoors. It could have been seconds, or hours, or _days_ and I was still wandering the halls.

_Okay, this is getting nowhere. I need to stop moving. What do I do? What would I do when I would get lost as a child?_ That wasn't really a question, as whenever I was lost, my mother or brother would quickly find me, as if they were led by a string. Part of me thought it was the cloak I wore. My brother swore that as long as I wore it they would always find me and I had taken that as a way to make me feel safe. That he was trying to make me not feel so alone in the world.

*******

_The sun's warm rays gently caressed the bustling market. Vendors lined the streets, fresh fruit ripened under the shade, and the sweet smell of caramelized apples filled the air. My mouth watered, if I could only have one apple, just one. Surely mother wouldn't mind. After all, she liked to indulge me on these rare trips out of the house and to the marker._

" _Mom, I want one of those apples over there, please." I tugged at my mother's long dress, pointing excitedly at the stall. I felt her bend down next to me and fix one of the many hair bows I insisted on wearing at that age. Her warm hands brushed over my hair, lovingly smoothing down any flyaways as only a mother's touch could do. It would be moments like these that I would miss the most, not that I knew I would._

_She chuckled, "now, now. Wouldn't you rather wait until you get a little more hungry? Why don't we shop around and work up an appetite, after that, I'll buy you a thousand apples."_

_I giggled highly amused and pleased, "a thousand apples? That's so silly, mommy. I only want one! I can't eat that many! I'll explode!"_

_She brushed over my face and kissed my cheeks. "You're right, I was being silly. Come, I think your brother needs a new jacket. Would you like to help?"_

_I nodded eagerly and followed behind my mother. As a child often gets, I became bored very quickly after we arrived at the tailor. To me, all the jackets looked the same, so why did it matter so much which one we picked? My mother pulled at rack after rack, chatting with the old tailor, discussing their days and families._

_I pouted before hopping off the plush armchair I sat on. I wandered through the store, boredly pretending to examine clothing. I caught the smell of caramel, a whiff of it came through the door, my eyes sliding to look outside. The stall wasn't too far away, I could get there and back pretty quickly. I bet mother wouldn't even notice. She'll probably still be talking to the tailor._

_Yeah, I could get one. I licked my lips and looked over to where my mother was, sure enough, she was nowhere near done talking. I quietly slipped out of the shop, holding my little change purse, eager for an apple._

_I walked back to the shop, munching on the carmel apple I chose. I pulled open the doors to the tailor, frowning once I could no longer spot my mother or the tailor in the shop. I closed the doors and began walking down the street, up and down the vendors, searching for those long dresses my mother liked to wear._

_Seconds ticked by and as I still saw no sight of my mother, tears began to well in my eyes and I started to desperately call out, running past all the strangers around me. "Mother! Mother!" Just as the words left my mouth, warm arms embraced me from behind. The soothing smell of jasmine wafted to me and I instantly relaxed._

" _There, there. I'm here, now where did you run off to?" She didn't scold me, mother never scolded me. Her disappointment was enough._

_I turned in her arms to face her, "I went to get an apple and when I came back, you were gone, then I got lost." She squeezed me tighter, patting my head._

" _You'll never be lost as long as I'm around, that's what mothers are for."_

*******

I brushed away the angry tears that began forming, angry at myself for getting lost and angry for being so ready to cry. I plopped down on the marble ground, ready to accept my fate and become one with the decorations when I caught a flash of orange out of the corner of my eye. I perked up, quickly stumbling to my feet. Could it be? Was it another person? At this point I didn't care if it was a ghost of all things, as long as they could help me.

My eyes widened as the flash of orange passed by once more. Whatever it was, it seemed to be flitting between the halls."Hey, wait!" I called out, running over to where it turned the corner. That was a robe for sure!

Whoever it was, they looked slightly familiar, turned again and I sprinted to match the difference, my hand closing around the brown hood. I instantly let go when she let out a shrill screech. "Please don't kill me Mr. Ghost!"

_What?_ "Mimosa?"

"Huh?" She turned to face me, doused in shades of red. "Oh, Hi! I'm so glad it's just you! What are you doing here?"

I let out a sigh of relief at seeing a friendly face. Even if we both scared ourselves. Without thinking about it, I pulled Mimosa into a tight hug, ignoring her startled yelp. She was quick to return the hug. "I got lost! I'm so glad I found you! I thought I was going to _die_ here and no one would find my body." I was rambling on dramatically but I was glad to see her.

I pulled away when Mimosa let out a nervous chuckle. "Come to think of it, I don't actually know what I'm doing here." Mimosa rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't usually venture over to this side of the castle, so I couldn't tell you how I wound up here."

I stared blankly at her, processing her words. "So you're telling me…"

"That we're _both_ lost."

"You live here!" I sputtered.

"So do you!" I opened my mouth several times, resembling a fish. I couldn't really deny her claim. "Besides, I'm a Vermillion, we stay over on the West Wing of the castle! This is a really big place, there's lots I haven't explored."

"Wait, what do you mean by wings?" I asked.

Mimosa tapped her head, "sorry, I forget that you're new here! The castle is separated into sections, wings. There's four wings in total and they're all big enough to be mansions, with the exception of the North Wing. The king lives there, so his part is a little bigger."

I rolled my eyes, _of course_ King Clover would have the biggest chunk. "So House Vermillion lives in the West Wing?"

She nodded, "Yes, we don't _all_ live there. We have other homes, so do all the other houses but that's what you would call our 'headquarters'." I gave Mimosa a few minutes to compose herself after she burst into giggles at her word usage. "I live here part of the time with Leo and Fuegoleon." Mimosa visibly saddened at the mention of her injured cousin and I joined her.

"And the other houses? What about them?"

"Well, the Silvas live over in the South Wing. Noelle used to live here too until she joined the Black Bulls. She stays over at the base now. I stay over at the Golden Dawn every once in a while but nothing beats being home. So I have to get up extra early the nights I _do_ stay here, to be at the base by," she side eyed me, her lips quivering. I narrowed my eyes, knowing exactly what was coming. _Don't do it._ "Dawn."

I could only glare at her as she threw her head back and laughed. I would have never thought Mimosa would have such a terrible sense of humor. "And here I thought you'd be the normal one." I groaned.

"Sorry! I had to! Seize the _dawn_ and all that."

"Mimosa..." I pinched my nose, that one didn't even make sense.

"Oops, there I go again, sometimes it takes a moment to _dawn_ on me." Becoming one with a vase was looking highly appealing to me. "Sorry, it's just you're so easy to rile up!" I flushed, she hit that one right on the nose.

"I know, ever since I've been on Clover soil, I've felt so many emotions, nothing like the monotone of the Diamond Kingdom. I can't say I have good control of them yet, haha…" I rubbed the back of my neck. "But I'm trying!"

Mimosa stared at me for a moment, my confidence beginning to slip, then she broke out into a wide smile. "I think it's wonderful that you're trying! I've always admired those who work hard in any aspect of their lives, especially goals. Noelle worked really, really hard to get where she is now and I've always admired that about her! That's why I liked Asta so much- _eep!_ " Mimosa blushed brightly and covered her mouth. " _Please forget you heard that!_ "

I let out a little laugh before smiling reassuringly. "It's okay, I already knew."

" _You did!?_ "

"Kind of, I saw the way you looked at him at the banquet, so I figured…"

Mimosa uncovered her mouth, red from head to toe. "You figured? Oh, am I really that transparent? Do you think Asta knows?"

I paused, thinking of the banquet and how utterly engrossed Asta was with the food. "No. He doesn't suspect a thing."

She sighed, dropping her shoulders. "Well, that's good."

"Thank you." Mimosa smiled at me as I thanked her. "I really needed to hear some encouragement. It's been a hard week."

"I one hundred percent agree. I can't even imagine what you're feeling like right now. Your life has completely changed, that must have been hard for you." I was struck by her sympathy. Mimosa was genuinely a kind soul, sweet and caring. _Don't cry. Don't cry._ "Would you like to tell me about it?"

I let out a breath. "Are you sure? It's a very long story."

She gestured around the empty hall. "Do you see anyone else here? I have time, believe me. We're both lost and who knows how long it'll take for us to find our way. Best to sit still. Besides, I _want_ to hear about it."

_Bless her soul._ So we sat there on the floor together and I told her everything. Well, not _everything._ I chose to omit the parts about Julius, only because I was unsure of what to make of it. I told her about my family, my childhood, all the pretty bits and she smiled and laughed along me. Then she switched to supportive when I explained the not so pretty parts.

"And now? I have no idea what to do. I don't know my place or what I'm supposed to do. I originally wanted a peaceful life but now I think that's impossible. I can't sit back and let things happen, I want to help but I don't know how."

Mimosa hummed. "Well, have you thought about joining the Magic Knights?" She tapped her chin. I gaped at her. She couldn't be serious.

"What? Me? A Magic Knight?"

"What's so wrong with that?" I sputtered and waved my hands wildly in the air.

"You've got to be kidding Mimosa, I can't be a Magic Knight." It was preposterous, the idea of me becoming a Magic Knight?

Mimosa frowned, crossing her arms. "Who says? You said you wanted to help, I think it's a good way to do it. I'm serious, don't dismiss the idea so easily if you really don't want to, that's okay but think it through. I think you could do a lot of good."

I paused. A _Magic Knight?_ Could I really do it? Did I have the skill and courage required? I wanted to help people. I shook my head, it was silly. "I don't think anyone would take me. Being an ex Diamond mage."

Mimosa smiled warmly, side hugging me. "Ex right? You're a Clover now. Besides, I can't speak for all of us but the Golden Dawn would love to have you." She giggled.

I tried not to shiver at the memory of that strange mana I felt. But it would be nice to be in a squad with familiar faces. I was getting ahead of myself. I needed to train, I wasn't at the skill level I used to be, so I needed to build myself up. "When are the Magic Knight trials?"

"Well, they're held every six months so we have one coming up in... two months!" That...wasn't a lot of time. "Don't worry, I'll help you train!" There was a fire in her eyes, a determination.

"R-really?"

She nodded firmly. "Mhmm, we'll get stronger together! I want to be able to fight along side Asta, so I needed to get stronger. I'm sure you want to do the same." Mimosa stopped, "not the fighting along side Asta part, I didn't mean to imply-"

I laughed. "I know that's not what you meant-"

"Especially after you and the Wizard King…"

I choked, my laugh dying and stared at Mimosa. The girl looked deep in thought and slightly troubled. " _What?_ "

"Oh! I'm sorry! I meant to ask you eventually, I didn't mean to spring it on you. It's just that you seem _close,_ so I wondered if you were together." I babbled nonsensically, my heart skipping. What did she mean? Mimosa grew worried by my reaction. "Are you okay?"

"Mimosa!" I finally yelped, red in the face. "What do you mean?"

"Well…"

The clattering of a vase falling to the ground caused us both to jump about six feet in the air.  
"Did you hear that?" I asked, bewildered. Mimosa nodded slowly, looking around. Another sharp noise broke the heavy silence. "Did you hear _that_?"

"Uh huh."

"Mimosa, is there a reason you thought I was a ghost at first?" I whispered, my voice trembling a bit as the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

The redhead fidgeted next to me, moving closer. "Um, well...You see…" Mimosa cupped her hand over my ear and leaned in, "I think the castle is haunted."

_Ghosts aren't real, right? Then why do I believe her?_

We could hear steps coming closer, our terrified eyes met, and we both mutually agreed to hold hands. They were getting louder and louder, coming closer and closer to us. My heart began pounding and if I could focus, I would hear Mimosa's heart, beating just as hard. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, unsure if I wanted to see a ghost head on.

"Mimosa?"

We both screamed, grasping each other close as I swore our souls left our bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man what do I even say? I'm so sorry to all the readers for the late post and I'm even more sorry for this update. I REALLY hated this chapter. I rewrote it about three different times and I hated them all. It's mediocre at best and not what I expect from me. I really wanted to give you guys my all but I STRUGGLED so hard to write this. Nothing could measure up to the last chapter and thus this became the dreaded filler chapter. I hoped you guys like it even though I'm not happy with it an I would not blame you all for hating this. I do. anyways, my hours at work got moved around so I have much less time to focus on this but worry, not, I'm putting everything back on track. Then I fucked my wrist up and these are all just excuses, I know. But enjoy your day nd I'm sorry for such a terrible update.


	9. IX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting lost in the castle isn't the best idea, so maybe get some fresh air?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back, back, back, back again... So the only excuse that I really have for this sudden absence (not considering the fact that I'm a chronic procrastinator) is that I really wanted to update these chapters together, nine and ten I think are important to be read after the other and I didn;t want to update if they both were'nt done. So let me let you get to it.

_**Black Clover** _

**IX**

_The redhead fidgeted next to me, moving closer. "Um, well...You see…" Mimosa cupped her hand over my ear and leaned in, "I think the castle is haunted."_

_Ghosts aren't real, right? Then why do I believe her?_

_We could hear steps coming closer, our terrified eyes met, and we both mutually agreed to hold hands. They were getting louder and louder, coming closer and closer to us. My heart began pounding and if I could focus, I would hear Mimosa's heart, beating just as hard. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, unsure if I wanted to see a ghost head on._

" _Mimosa?"_

_We both screamed, grasping each other close as I swore our souls left our bodies._

I kept my eyes screwed shut, feeling Mimosa shift next to me, removing her arms from around me. Were all my near death experiences cheating Death so much that he sent a ghost my way to finish me off? If so, why was this the moment Mimosa decided to let go of me? Couldn't she wait until after I died, preferably?

" _Solid?"_ The redhead gasped and I quickly opened my eyes, not sure I was hearing Mimosa right. Why would she bring him up in a moment like this? He'd be the _last_ person I would want to think of. Just straight ahead, to my surprise, stood Mimosa's cousin and he was no ghost. Though I wished there was. Instead, my eyes made contact with Solid's pale eyes at the same time as he _somehow_ bumped into another end table, knocking a flower vase over, the water dripping off the table and onto the floor.

_So that was the sound of glass breaking in the hall over._

My mouth formed an 'o' and my arms dropped from their place around Mimosa, falling to my sides. Solid stared at us and we stared back in silence, his face slowly growing redder and redder as the water from the vase continued to pour out onto the carpet. "Um, are we just going to let all the water out?" I asked, feigning concern for the ugly, ornate rug. "I don't think the rug did anything to justify this kind of treatment."

"I don't know, it _is_ kind of ugly." Mimosa hummed next to me without missing a beat. My heart swelled at her words, I _knew_ we were soulmates. I could see Solid looking between us from the corner of my eye as we pretended to assess the damage. I couldn't see why he wasn't taking the easy way out, we were giving him an opening to back away and act like this interaction never happened. Yet, he stood there, as if rooted in place. I rolled my eyes, were all nobles like this? This stupid?

I hadn't taken him for the sort to be clumsy. In fact, I assumed all the Silvas were much too proud to ever be anything less than graceful. But here stood Solid, knocking over vases. It painted a humorous image, seeing as the end tables were pushed against the walls and the halls were rather open. It'd be sort of challenging, trying to hit those things. It was a little funny that Solid managed to hit them but I was now coming down from the sudden spike of adrenaline, feeling a sort of sluggishness, to try and laugh at him. _Next time I won't be so hasty to take Mimosa at full value._

"What are you doing here?" Solid finally found his voice. I could hear the residual tinges of embarrassment amongst the false bravado. He seemed more than a little lost without the presence of his siblings around. I felt for him on that part, but then the memory of him pouring his drink all over Noelle at the banquet surfaced and whatever sympathy I had evaporated.

Mimosa stood up, a kind smile on her face as she spoke to her cousin. "We live here, Solid. What else?" _Damn._ I looked at her in awe. Mimosa was kind, she spoke with the utmost concern and respect. Taken out of context, you would think she was using sarcasm, but she seemed genuine. Which was honestly, terrifying. There would no way for Solid or anyone to take offense over what she said.

Solid cleared his throat, pouting a bit. "You _are_ nearing the South Wing." No wonder Mimosa wasn't as familiar with these parts of the castle. She told me herself that the South Wing belonged to the Silvas.

"Sorry, we got lost. I didn't know there was a rule to this…" I mumbled. As much dislike as I held for Solid, the last thing I wanted to do was cause problems. Solid jumped a little, as if barely seeing me now.

The youngest Silva male stared at me for a second before sharply looked away from me, giving me what appeared to be a curt nod of recognition? _Weird._ But then again, royals were weird. He cleared his throat, pretending to smooth down the feathers in his robe. "There's not a rule. You're free to roam the castle but we tend to stick to our families and wings. You're getting close to where my family lives."

Mimosa clapped her hands together, smiling sweetly. "Great! Since you know this area so well, you can lead us out! It's lucky we ran into you, Solid."

The sound of more glass crashing to the ground caused us to pause. I furrowed my eyebrows, I thought Solid had knocked over the first vase, that he was the reason for the noise. Especially since we saw him bump into that table. "Did you hear that?" I whispered. Mimosa nodded, eyes wide.

She looked at her cousin, "Solid was that you?" My eyes narrowed when he refused to make eye contact with Mimosa. He looked distinctly flustered. The sound of the glass breaking was further into the hallways, so it couldn't be him.

"I think it's coming from around that corner. I could go check it out." I offered with a shrug of my shoulders. Ghost or not, my curiosity was piqued. Meeting Mimosa's grateful smile, I moved to look around the corner when my wrist was pulled back rather forcefully. After flinching a bit at the sudden, foreign touch, I followed the arm on me to see Solid looking off to the side, appearing just as uncomfortable.

"Um, Solid? Are you okay?" Mimosa asked, concern for his strange antics. I just wanted his clammy hand off me.

"I-I wouldn't go down that hall if I were you."

I turned to face him. "What do you mean? You said we were allowed to go anywhere, that there was no set boundaries." I pointedly eyed at his hand and he pulled it away like he was burnt. Good. Teach him to touch people without their permission.

Solid shifted, moving to stand in front of me and the corner, blocking my way. "Believe me, the last thing you ever want to see is down that hall." I blankly stared at Solid for a moment. His face was incredibly red now, so much so that he couldn't look me in the eye. Was that it? That's all he was saying? Could he be any more vague? "It wasn't me who knocked over that vase earlier."

Mimosa and I looked at each other, unimpressed. "If you're trying to scare us, you're not doing a good job of it." I crossed my arms and nodded, agreeing with Mimosa. Personally, I figured Solid was embarrassed about being caught ungraceful and was trying to cover up his clumsy movements.

"I'm not trying to scare you! It's just not something anyone, much less a woman would want to see." That did it. We both huffed, a feminist anger seeping in us at Solid's words. In tandem, the redhead and I both purposefully gawked around Solid, peering down the hall.

I gasped, reeling back, ignoring Solid's yelp as I scurried back around the corner. I heard Mimosa sputter over the rush of blood in my ears. I squeezed my eyes, trying to block the unseemly image from my head. Nope, it was seared into my eyelids. "D-did I just see _that_?" I mumbled to no one in particular, praying that it was a hallucination.

Mimosa breathed heavily. "I saw it too, unfortunately." I groaned, then it was real. We had both just seen the king of the country, with one of his...lovers? I didn't quite know who those ladies were but one of them was with him, kneeling right in front of him, bobbing her head as groans escaped the king. They were in the very corner, his hand fisted in the lady's hair, the other holding onto an end table, broken glass lay on the floor near them.

Well, that answered that question.

The nausea slowly faded as Solid muttered, "I told you not to look. Didn't I tell you?" No wonder he was so flustered coming in. He had to have seen it too. Besides being embarrassed, there was also a slow anger. The king had been absent during the speech to the country. Was he instead fumbling around the castle while Julius took responsibility for all the casualties? Was the king completely useless?

_King Augustus Kira Clover_ had his _thing_ out in the middle of a hall, in the _middle_ of the day, right after his _own_ country was attacked, and he was absent from the following address to the kingdom. "Does this kind of thing happen often?" I asked, rubbing my eyes resignedly, sure I would never be rid of the image.

"He usually isn't this _candid_." Solid muttered, his eyes shifting to the window.

"This is out of the usual for sure." Mimosa faintly spoke. "He was a lot more discreet when we were children, never once did we see this kind of thing…But then…"

"You all aged up?" I offered, that made a little more sense. At least he had the decency to wait until there were no children present in the castle to release his exhibitionist tendencies.

Mimosa shook her head, "um, not quite." I raised an eyebrow, what did she mean by that? "I shouldn't say now. Why don't we head to the gardens? It such a lovely day, it would be a shame to waste it indoors. Besides, the flowers are just beginning to bud, you'll love it!" Her sudden enthusiasm was contagious and soon I found myself just as giddy to see.

"That sounds wonderful, I love flowers!" I cheered.

"Good! There's a lot of privacy too, the rest of the families rarely head out there, so we'll be alone." Ah, so it was a good place to gossip, is what Mimosa was getting at. "Solid, you wouldn't mind leading us out would you? I'm afraid we'll just get even more lost if we tried to go alone, you know, being women and all that."

Solid scoffed and crossed his arms. "Now, little Mimosa, of course I'd do anything to help out a family member in need." _What is with this guy? Where did his sudden mood change come from?_ "Just follow me, I'll lead you to the gardens." Solid dramatically ruffled his cloak, leaving Mimosa and I to side eye each other.

I shrugged, not caring enough to question it and followed behind as we went in the opposite direction. Thankfully, it was a small miracle but it seemed that the king had not noticed us peering around the corner. That would have led to much more of an awkward mess and I shuddered to think what would have happened if he _had_ seen us.

We were outside soon enough, the fresh air revitalized me, clearing my head. Every time I stepped outside and had the warm breeze hit me, I was oddly thrilled. A side effect of me being held inside for so long. It was nice enough to go without my cloak, but I kept it on nonetheless. Julius went through a lot of effort to find it, not to mention mending it in such a short time. As soon as we filtered out, Mimosa turned to me rather excitedly.

"Okay, now follow me!"

I giggled a little at her sunny disposition. "Where are we going?" She tugged at my wrist and started running, pulling me along. We ducked under some trees, giggling at Solid's complaints.

"You can't just abandon me!" Branches cracked as he tried in vain to follow us. Wherever Mimosa was leading us, she knew exactly where it was, with no hesitation. After weaving under, over, and around some more shrubbery, Mimosa came to a stop.

"We're here!"

"And where is here, exactly?"

She laughed, stretching her arm out. "Take a look for yourself." I stepped around her and gasped. It was a cute, little pond surrounded by lovely plants and willow trees. Mimosa stepped out from behind me and pointed at the base of the willow tree. "This is my secret place, I found it when I was a kid and kept it a secret. Solid can't find us here, though I'm sure he'll try. It's the perfect place! No one else knows about this. It'll be our secret base!" She said, a determined twinkle in her eyes.

"Secret base?"

"Well, yeah. You said you wanted to get stronger and I said I would train with you! This would be a great place to do it!" She walked around examining the terrain, nodding every so often at something she liked and muttered improvements under her breath.

Mimosa looked so determined, so sure of this course of action that I couldn't help but blurt out. "Did you really mean it? You think I can be a Magic Knight?" I looked down at my hands, I was so _unsure_ about everything. How could Mimosa be this calm?

"Of course I did! You're strong! I know you can do this and besides, you won't be alone. I'm here to help!"

"But, _why_?"

Mimosa paused, looking away from the tree circumference she was measuring. She called my name, forcing me to look her dead in the eyes. "Because you're a good person."

I gasped then, dropping my hands. I took a deep breath and smiled. "Right then. Thank you." Mimosa smiled at me, continuing her checklist of criteria. I could hear her mutter about adding a rock here or removing a plant. What kind of training Mimosa had in mind was anyone's guess. For my part, I took the time to walk around the hidden opening. There were a number of flowers here that weren't spring flowers. They bloomed brightly, as if Mimosa's very presence caused them to open. "What kind of training are we planning on doing? I asked.

Mimosa shrugged. "I'm not really sure yet." I eyed her quizzically and she rushed to explain. "You see, I've never really _needed_ to train before. I've always had a very good grasp on my magic. I really only watched Noelle train. She worked really hard to control her magic and her siblings mocking her didn't help at all."

"So the Silvas have always been that way?"

The redhead nodded, "her father is worse. But even though her family is like that, she never gave up and now she's a member of a Magic Knight squad! We need to be that way too! Never give up!" Mimosa cheered, pumping herself up. "We'll get stronger together!"

A laugh slipped out before I could catch it. "I appreciate it, thanks. I'm pretty unsure of myself right now."

She giggled, waving her hands in the air. "Do _you_ want to be a Magic Knight? I know I kind of pushed it on you." I hadn't given her a definitive answer yet. It felt wrong to say either unless my heart was fully in it.

I nodded. I chose my next words carefully. "I, I really _don't know_. I want a peaceful life and I meant it." I met her gaze firmly. "But I also feel an obligation to help in anyway I can. You were right about that, I _want_ to get stronger. Is being a Magic Knight the way I want to go about it? I'm not sure. I know how important and difficult of a job it is. It's a lot of responsibility and I want peace eventually, I don't want to fight forever." I felt ashamed, like a coward. Most mages would thrill in the chance to fight and receive fame and glory but I wanted this to end eventually, to go build a home and retire.

Wars were a means to an end. And unnecessary means to an end but one nonetheless. I was more interested in life after war, not during.

Mimosa hummed, nodding slowly. "I understand. It is a very large commitment. Like I said, the next Knight exam isn't for another few months. We can train in the meantime and when the time comes, you can decide if it's right for you then."

I sighed in relief. "Thank you, that sounds good. I don't know how I'm going to bring it up to Julius." I muttered the last part under my breath, more to myself than outloud. However, Mimosa apparently wasn't one to let things like that slide.

" _Julius_?" I blushed at her tone of voice, not expecting her to tease me so suddenly. "I didn't realize the Wizard King and you were on first name terms. I noticed, you two seem pretty chummy."

" _What_? He asked me to call him that."

She crossed her arms and pouted. "You said you weren't together and friends don't lie to each other." I stared at her and she pouted even stronger. "I told you about Asta."

"It wasn't as much that as you told me. You slipped remember?" I sighed when Mimosa stared pointedly at me. She wasn't going to let this go. Now that we were alone, I felt better about speaking on it. "Fine. First, though. What did you mean about the king earlier?" I was curious about her phrasing.

To my surprise, Mimosa blushed and laughed a little. The tension now gone, she laughed into her hand. "Well, he was a much more _private_ man back then."

Hard to imagine. I waved in the air, "then what changed? Because that certainly wasn't private."

"Julius Novachrono became the new Wizard King. You see, the one before wasn't as popular as the Wizard King is now. He really revolutionized the title and what it meant. As he grew in popularity, the king became more and more threatened I suppose. That's when those little escapades started becoming more common."

"So, he has an inferiority complex?"

Mimosa smiled kindly. "If you want to call it that, sure. Now. Tell me about you and the Wizard King!" She patted the ground next to her, summoning a patch of moss and flowers for me to sit on.

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling very hot. "Well there's not much to say. How well can you know a person after a week?" I coughed a little. "I can't deny that I find him attractive and I feel _strongly_ for him but I don't really know him. It feels foolish to let myself hope. He was the one to bring me here but other than a handful of moments, there's not much to tell."

Mimosa nodded sagely. "I understand. But you should know, time isn't really all that important. It's not how long you know a person, it's the bond you have with them. I've known Alecdora my whole life and I've only known you for two days, but I can safely say that I am much closer to you. I consider you a friend and that's all that matters. We'll get to know each other after."

" _Mimosa_."

"So what you said about only knowing him for a week? That doesn't invalidate your feelings. The rest will follow after." My bottom lip wobbled and I blinked back the tears before deeming it useless and letting the drops fall. "Oh no! I didn't mean to upset you! I was trying to help you feel better! I'm so tactless!"

I wiped the tears away with my cloak, "no, it's not that. _Thank you_. I just get overwhelmed easily and I tend to release that in tears. You're a good friend Mimosa."

She beamed, "glad to help! Now, we need to meet back up with Solid. He's been poking around trying to find us and he's getting close. I don't really want him stumbling onto this place."

"Oh, okay."

"Don't worry! We'll continue this another time. Come on, follow me." Mimosa led me out to a bench in a much more open area. As soon as we sat down, Solid popped out of seemingly thin air, heading right for us.

"There you are! What was the meaning of leaving me behind without so much as a 'thank you'?" He huffed, crossing his arms and staring accusingly at us.

I let out a low whistle, catching his attention. "You were truly so hurt that you looked for us for half an hour?" Mimosa politely coughed next to me, concealing her burst of laughter like a true royal. I had no idea what came over me but the intense urge to put him in his place was ever present, demanding to be let out.

Solid's cheeks reddened slightly. "That- that's not what's happening here! You two were rude!"

"And following us to demand an apology? That sounds like you were deeply wounded by our actions. Just admit it." From the corner of my eye, I could see Mimosa biting her lip as she watched us bicker, holding back her laughs.

"I wasn't hurt! As if _I_ could ever be affected by what someone like _you_ does."

" _Sure_ -"

"Oh!" Mimosa jolted a little next to me. Both Solid and I turned to her, quizzically. She faintly flushed, pulling out a small circular device. _A communication lacrima._ Like the one Vanessa gave me. Mimosa's was vibrating and she quickly snapped it open. "Hello?"

There was the faint sound of static before Klaus's head hologrammed before us. "Mimosa!" His voice was shrill, "Where are you?"

Mimosa simply chuckled, "Hi Klaus, I'm here at the castle-"

"Get to the base as soon as possible! We've been assigned a mission and it would be prudent to start it today."

"Really? Okay, I'll be there soon!" Mimosa closed the case and slipped it back into her pockets. She turned to me, a sincere apology on her face. I shrugged, completely understanding that duty calls. "Oh would you look at that? I have to go now, but Solid will make sure you get to your room safe and sound, right Solid?" Mimosa smiled cheerily and it struck me as quite evil that she could say anything that came to her mind and keep that warm smile, making it impossible to say no. I respected that.

Solid flushed violently, leaping to his feet rather dramatically. "W-what? You can't boss me around Mimosa!"

The girl tilted her head, closing her eyes and smiling even sweeter. "Dear Solid, I would never _dream_ of telling you what to do. I just hoped that for my sake that you would kindly agree to escort my lovely friend back to her room." When Solid stayed silent, she pressed on, even more saccharine. "I know that as not Golden Dawn it might be a difficult endeavor but surely the Silver Eagles would be more than up for the task." _Genius. Mimosa was a mastermind._ "If not, I _could_ get Leopold to do it…"

" _Fine._ You can leave now." Solid sneered, her words obviously heating him. The exchange was the most amusing thing I had ever seen, Mimosa had _demolished_ Solid. "I'll take your little friend and make sure she gets there in one piece."

"Wonderful!" Mimosa stood up from the bench and clapped her hands together. "I'll see you another time. I had a lot of fun!"

"Me too!" I found myself saying, waving as she left. Her orange hair vanished from my eyesight soon enough and I found myself with the awkward tension of being left with Solid Silva. I was less than pleased, to say the least. Solid was muttering to himself, kicking at the dirt. "Um?"

His head snapped up and he scowled at me. "Are you ready to leave?" It was nice of him to ask if I wanted to leave, I suppose.

I shrugged, taking some more time to see all the flowers ready to bloom. There were greenhouses but I didn't go into those, they housed the more exotic flowers, the ones with delicate ecosystems. I chose to explore the outside instead, relishing in all the pretty spring blooms, the crocuses, camellias, _daffodils,_ and of course, primroses.

Solid followed a few feet behind me, allowing me the time to fill my curiosity. I could feel him grow impatient but to his credit, he said nothing. I took one last look around the gardens, making note to come back and spend the entire day here. There was still so much to see. I would be especially happy to see the flowers during summer, when the smell of jasmine and morning glories filled the air.

"I am now, thank you." He nodded, turning and starting to walk away. I shrugged to myself and followed behind. It was going to be a silent walk then. Solid didn't appear to be interested in making conversation, walking ahead of me and keeping his mouth shut.

_Fine by me. The less he talks the better._ I could never understand why anyone would treat their sibling in the way the Silvas did. Didn't they know to cherish them? That one day they would no longer be with them, that they would one day leave? I could never imagine doing that, how sorely I missed my family, longing for even the most mundane interaction. Noelle didn't deserve that treatment. Nozel said they had lost their mother in not so many words. Wouldn't that mean they wanted to be closer to each other?

I could no longer keep the questions bottled up and they slipped unintentionally. "Why do you treat Noelle like that? She's your sister and yet you disgraced her like that in front of everyone. Why would you do that? Family is the most important thing in this world, related or not, they're the only thing tying us to this life. You should cherish it while you have it."

I saw Solid visibly square his shoulders, but remained silent, continuing on his path but tenser. "Are you not comfortable talking about it? Or are you just going to ignore all my questions? Do you think I'm not good enough to be in your presence? Like your brother?" I sighed, the last one slipped out of me. Apparently I was still sore over the entire banquet incident. Perhaps it was best I didn't push the subject. Like I said, I was fine with the silence. It was better.

The inside of the castle was a little cooler than the outdoors but I was grateful for it. It was an unusually warm day for early spring. We made it about half way through the castle, the way becoming more and more familiar, hopefully, soon, I would no longer need a guide. Solid stopped, backing away a bit. I stopped, "what are you doing?"

"We should go the other way." Solid began backpedaling, trying to rush me to do the same. I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. Was he playing the 'I'm royalty so I'm allowed to be weird' card?

"Solid, what are you doing?"

"Why hello there, I didn't expect to see you so soon." I cringed a little, recognizing the nasally voice. I turned around and weakly smiled at the king. He had not one hair out of place and I idly wondered if he had a servant adjust him after his little rendezvous. As expected, a wide smile was in place as he twirled his mustache in what was supposed to be charming.

"Your majesty! It's nice to see you." I forced out through my frozen smile.

"Likewise." His beady eyes traveled up and down my body and I was infinitely grateful I had my cloak on, which concealed my body rather well. _Remind me to thank Julius again for finding it._ As predicted, the king's leer dropped, a frown gathering in place instead. "Lovely as you are, I think the other dress suited you better."

_Of course you would think that._ I frowned slightly, not truly wanting my displeasure known. He _was_ the king after all. "Ah, it was a little too cold in the castle for me to wear such an item. It such a nice dress, I didn't have an occasion to wear it."

"To dinner perhaps?" King Clover casually mentioned but my stomach dropped. I hoped he wasn't hinting at what I thought he was.

I shifted my weight on my other foot, all too aware of Solid's eyes on my back. The king hadn't even acknowledged his relative. I played it off as being naive, which I was but even I could tell this was a trap. "I was planning on wearing something else. Julius doesn't really care for formalities." _Did I really just say that? Are you_ _ **trying**_ _to piss him off?_

He let out something akin to a choke but quickly composed himself. "That Julius, always stealing my spotlight. They think he's _so_ great." He said to himself but we all heard it. "Anyways, seeing as your dinner plans are filled, would you be so kind as to oblige me for a nightcap?" His returned leer deepened, leaving no dispute as to what he was talking about.

I needed this to _stop_ right now. "I'm flattered, your majesty-"

"Call me Augustus."

"I'm flattered, _your majesty_ but," I continued. "I'm not that type of woman. I'm sure there are much better candidates suited to your needs." I said in a low voice, so Solid wouldn't overhear and get the wrong idea about the king, as right as it was. "I've just arrived and the days have been a blur, romance is the last thing on my mind." I wanted him to feel better, to make him feel as if I wasn't choosing Julius over him.

It did little to reassure him. King Clover's face shifted to a multitude of colors and expressions. "You are aware that I'm the king of this country? And yet you refuse me, how interesting. You claim you have no time for romance yet you and Julius seem rather friendly." His eye twitched.

"I-I'm sorry." He was starting to worry me a little. "I'm telling the truth."

"' _Not that kind of woman.'_ and what kind of woman are you? The kind to spread your legs for power? I'm a wielder of light magic, I can assure you, I have power in spades." As little as I cared for the king, his words were like a slap to my face. How he had the gall to insult me and then proposition me in the same sentence was perplexing.

I didn't even know what to say, my mouth opening and closing a few times. "Uncle, it's wonderful to see you as always." Solid stepped in between the two of us, his hand held awkwardly in the air for the king to shake.

King Clover shifted his gaze from me to look at the water mage. "Solid. How are you doing? Protecting our kingdom with your royal blood I'm sure. The Silver Eagles are what _all_ Magic Knight squads should strive to be. What can I do for you, my boy?"

"We'd love to stay and chat but we really must get going. It's an official assignment of vital importance that we arrive at our destination. As one of those with royal blood that guard the kingdom, you would agree that this takes precedence, unfortunately." I gaped at Solid as he smoothly spoke. Was this the same person from before? He scuttled between being aloof or cowardly. Was this him with more confidence? A lifetime of being royal taught one to use their words effectively, it seemed.

King Clover shut his mouth and smiled nervously. "I-I apologize for keeping you. We'll have to continue this at another time then." He nodded at me and walked past us.

I shivered once he left and turned to Solid, only to find that he was already walking. I hurried to catch up, "wait! Solid!"

He stopped, turning to face me. "What?" He spit out, obviously annoyed at the interruption.

I didn't appreciate the tone. I bit my lip, suddenly it seemed a little harder to speak calmly. How I wanted to snap back. "I just wanted to say _thank you_." I said sincerely. As much as I disliked him, I really did appreciate what he did for me. "I wouldn't have been able to say anything at all. So I really do appreciate you stepping in. You kind of saved me."

Solid stared at me, as if he couldn't quite tell what to make of me. He quickly looked away, muttering to himself. _I guess we're still on the silent thing._ We made it to my door easily and I was impressed, the castle was large and if even Mimosa got lost meant that Solid knew this place rather well.

I turned to face the water mage, feeling more than a little awkward. "Well, this is my room... Thank you for escorting me, I guess." Solid nodded and moved to leave, pausing for a moment.

"Noelle disgraced herself by showing her face at the banquet."

My face scrunched up in confusion. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"You asked why I would disgrace her in front of everyone. She did it herself. By showing her face."

I blinked, surprised to hear Solid answer one of my questions, even if I asked them twenty minutes ago. I wasn't expecting him to wax about her virtues or anything but I didn't think he would say _that._ I lifted my head, sticking my chin proudly in the air. "Noelle was invited there by the Wizard King himself, I think out of everyone there, she was the most qualified to be there. I don't believe that she disgraced herself. I can't even imagine what kind of person you have to be to hate a sibling that much." I bit out.

Solid matched my glare, narrowing his eyes. "I'm allowed to hate the person that killed my mother."

My glare faltered and I reeled back, shocked by his words. What did he _mean_? Noelle killed his mother? Nozel said the same thing, this was the second time this accusation was thrown around. "What do you mean? Noelle killed your mother?"

"The moment my sister came into existence was the same time my mother left hers. It was because of Noelle that we were left _without_ our mother. If Noelle had never been born, then she would still be alive. Her name was Acier Silva and she was the kindest, most beautiful mother I could have ever hoped for." Solid said, looking at the ground. Misplaced as his anger was, I could tell he was very close to his mother. "I was only four when she died. I didn't _get_ to _know_ her better."

There was a moment of silence where I didn't know what to say before I cleared my throat. "I'm very sorry that happened to you. It's a very terrible thing to lose someone, it's something I know all too well. However, you managed to get four wonderful years with your mother, Noelle got _none._ Your hate is aimed at the wrong person, she innocent in this too. You lost your mother Solid, don't lose your sister too, it's not what Acier would have wanted." I bit my lip, hoping I hadn't gone too far but Solid needed to see that Noelle was not at fault, that there was still time to mend their relationship.

Even Solid looked unsure himself. His face flickered with different emotions and for a moment it seemed as if I got through to him. Then he sneered, "as if I could ever care for some weak girl who can't even control her magic." I opened my mouth to rebut but Solid turned away from me with a dramatic swish of his robes, leaving me alone in the hall.

_Like I said, royals are weird._

I let out a short huff, "well, that went nowhere." Shrugging my shoulders, I opened the door to my room and stepped in, closing it with a soft click. The first thing I noticed was the blue vase filled with daffodils on my dresser. I undid the clasp on my cloak and dropped it on the chair nearest to me. A grin spread across my face as I headed over to the flowers, a gush of affection rushed over me as I reached for the note attached to the stems.

I took a moment to admire the beautiful blooms, the yellow color was so cheerful, and the flowers themselves signified new beginnings. Their light scent reached my nostrils as I bent my head to read the note. My eyes scanned the contents, the flowers were from Julius, as I predicted. My eyebrows crinkled together the further I read. It seemed I would have to eat dinner alone tonight. _Well I can't expect to dine with him every time._ I let out a little sigh of disappointment before shaking my head.

Still, the flowers were lovely and that was enough to make me happy. One look out my window told me dinner time was now. I was a little surprised to see the sun was already setting, the day had gone by quickly with all the things I did today and now I was looking forward to eating, even if it was without Julius.

I wondered if I would have to eat in the dining room all alone. The thought didn't really appeal to me and I had no one else to eat with. Mimosa was gone and I wasn't about to eat my meal with Solid. I sat down on one of the couches in front of the fireplace, glad that the fire was still going. To my delight, the furniture was soft and the room was warm. My eyes began drooping closed, a small yawn leaving me. If it wasn't for how hungry I was, I would be content curling up here and sleeping.

The door quietly squeaked open and I jumped, turning around quickly. My heart thudded for a different reason, was the Winter Lady here to desecrate this new room as well? Julius would have knocked first, so it couldn't be him. To my surprise, it was Myrna.

"Hey there! Long time not see! Kidding!" She giggled, entering my room with a cart that smelled heavenly. I stood up, cocking my head, curious at what she was bringing. As if reading my thoughts, she laughed, "what's with that look on your face? I'm here with your dinner, unless you don't want it…"

"What is it?" I asked. The cuisine here was different than what we had in the Diamond Kingdom. The food here was richer, the ingredients more complex. I found it to be delicious.

She began putting plates down on my small table and pulling the lids off the platters. "Why don't you come and see for yourself?"

I eagerly zoomed over to the heavenly scent of the food, staring hungrily at the spread. There was _so much_ of it. It was a wonder Julius was so trim, with what the portions and options here were. There was no way I could eat all of this. I turned to Myrna confused. "Myrna?'

She hummed, setting down three cake options. "Hmm?"

"I can't possibly eat all this. It's too much."

Myrna stopped, setting down the plate in her hand and looking at me as if she didn't understand what I said. "Excuse me?"

I blushed, was I overstepping some etiquette rule that I was unaware of? "I'm sorry, but I can't finish all this food."

She laughed then. I stared at her, was this funny? How? "No one expects you to eat all this food. It would be impossible."

"Then why bring so much?"

Myrna shrugged, "It's how everyone has their meals, all the royals are given this much, no one actually eats all of it."

"What happens to the food they don't eat?"

"Well, it gets thrown away, I suppose."

I reeled back. "But that's just wasteful! So many people go hungry and you're telling me all this food just gets tossed away?" Though I had never personally struggled with hunger, I knew so many that did, living day to day wondering when the next meal would be served. In my old group, Fana and Mars themselves were orphans, living on the streets before being picked up by the Kingdom. So many people didn't have access to that basic human need and hearing that so much of it got disposed disgusted me.

If my intensity threw her off, Myrna didn't comment on it, instead she frowned, staring at the food on the table. "I've never thought of it that way."

I nodded firmly. "You know what this means then?" Myrna looked at me curiously, shaking her head. I eyed her solemnly. "It means you have to eat with me."

I gestured at the chair across from me, pulling the first dish towards me. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"All of it?" She eyed the large spread a little intimidated.

"All of it."

Myrna let out a little sigh and sat down at the chair I pointed at. "Challenge accepted." She grabbed a plate and held it out, "serve me up."

"Oh, I was just eating it from the serving plate. Are we using the plates?"

"Bless your soul."

*******

Well after Myrna had left and taken the remnants of dinner with her, I lay across my couch, freshly showered and unwinding from the long day. Would my every day here be as busy as the ones I had lived? I had one event after another thrown in my face, barely giving me the time to process what exactly was going on. The week had flown by and as glad as I was to be a Clover citizen, I felt like it was going so fast.

Maybe my time under house arrest had weakened my sense of time but it felt like things back in the Diamond Kingdom progressed much slower. In my first week alone, I had met the Wizard King, was invited to live in the castle, went to a Magic Knight ceremony, used offensive magic for the first time in ages, learned a new spell, _was kidnapped by a terrorist organization,_ met the king, became a citizen, not to mention all the new faces around me. It was exhausting thinking about it all.

I couldn't help but relive my week. As busy and eventful as it had been, it was the _best_ week of my life. I had experienced so much life, so many emotions, good and bad. I wouldn't change it for the world.

Letting out a sigh, I turned my head to look out the window. It was dark now, the stars shone dully behind the cloudy night sky. No idea what was in store for tomorrow, I decided perhaps an early night would be for the best. Sleep, however, was out of the question until I settled my nerves.

And only one thing could unnerve me in such a way.

The Winter Lady.

I stood up, moving around the room, visibly scanning it. I couldn't sense any mana so I knew I was alone but I needed to be sure. My grimoire opened and began slowly turning pages. _Where is it? Hmm…_ The book fluttered to a stop, opening itself to my eyes. I whispered the words and watched as a thin stream of lilac flowed out of me and wound itself around my bedroom. My sense of mana was acute but this spell would sniff out and hidden mana traces, so if there was something hiding, I would find it.

It really was paranoia, I knew it. But when it came to the Winter Lady, a certain measure of paranoia was healthy. As I expected, the spell came up empty. I let out a sigh and dropped my shoulders, all tension I didn't know I was carrying vanished. I wrapped my arms around myself and pulled back the covers of my bed.

I didn't know her real name. I didn't care to know it either, giving her a name would humanize her, lessen what she really was, a monster. And monsters didn't deserve to be humanized. I layed back on my bed, spreading my limbs out. I lifted my hands in the air, playing with my fingers. My arms were smooth, blemish free. It was hard to imagine the trauma they had been through, the amount of torture hidden as discipline, strengthening me for the country. All inflicted by the Winter Lady, of course.

The day I was placed in her care, was the day I cursed and would curse to my dying breath. Even now, thousands of miles away, I felt her presence everywhere I went. It lingered in the back of my mind, I saw her in every shadow, heard her in every gust of wind.

She may have not laid a finger on me last night, but she achieved a greater effect, I was fearful now. Now that I was alone, she crept into my mind like a weed. So many questions were left surrounding her, a cloud of mystery, impossible to dispel. I didn't know who she really was, besides an important member of the Diamond Kingdom military, close to the Generals. I knew exactly three things about her.

One, she possessed ice magic and her personality reflected that.

Two, her loyalty to the Diamond Kingdom and by extension, Morris, was undying.

Three, I hated her with my entire being.

Her teachings were not something to be desired. My original teacher, Fanzell, young as he had been, was kind in his teachings and disciplines. He taught me a lot about using my magic effectively and more suited to the environment. I wasn't very good at hand to hand combat but he encouraged me to do my best and I _did_ pick up some tricks. I remembered his teachings and that part of my life the clearest.

Everything changed that day in the village. That was the first day I was officially put in the Winter Lady's direct control. I never saw Fanzell again. _The village._ Those people had been so happy to see us, smiling as far as the eye could see. Yet, we were ordered to erase them? I never knew why, what the Winter Lady said couldn't be true, executions weren't ordered at the _murmurs_ of unhappiness. There had to be a bigger reason but I never knew it.

There were so many questions. That day in particular was difficult to remember. There were patches in my memories, whole segments blacked out. What I could recollect, it was the feeling of cold as the Winter Lady's magic continually burned my skin with her magic.

She was the reason I couldn't stand the cold, her particular brand of magic was intolerable to me and the slightest draft caused shivers and twinges in my nerves. My arms dropped down to the bed and I bit my lip, holding back tears. _What have I ever done to deserve this?_

A soft knock drew my eyes to my door. I cleared my throat, staring at it for a moment before wiping my eyes with the edges of the comforter. The tears hadn't been flowing for long, so I hoped my eyes wouldn't be too puffy.

I sat up, swinging my legs over the bed, and standing. I pulled the sheet with me, wrapping it over my shoulders, not caring that it dragged on the ground. I stood in front of the door and let out a deep breath. I carefully untangled whatever hair had gotten caught in the chain of my necklace. My hair was loose now, flowing around me as I moved. I let out a yawn and opened the door. I straightened up a bit, suddenly feeling more alert as it came open.

Julius smiled back warmly at me, still in his Wizard King robes. My heart skipped taking in his slightly disheveled appearance. Despite the later hours, it didn't look like he was planning on sleeping any time soon. He took in my appearance, admittedly, I _was_ a little rumpled but then again, he had no room to say anything either. His silver eyes narrowed slightly for a second as he scanned my face and I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't mention the redness around my eyes. Julius said nothing, smiling softly. "Hi there. I hope it's not too late. I wanted to check in, see how you were doing."

"O-oh!" _I hope he couldn't tell I was crying. He would have said something if he did right? It's fine, just keep it that way, don't you go being all sheepish and giving yourself away._ "I'm doing fine, I spent my afternoon with Mimosa. We got to see the gardens and though it's early spring, it was nice to see all the blossoming flowers."

"Did you? The gardens are a lovely place that I unfortunately seem to neglect. I'm afraid I'm rarely allowed the time to visit. The few times I do go, I'm always delighted." Julius seemed genuinely interested in my day, which had me smiling slightly.

A thought flashed through my head. "That reminds me! Speaking of flowers…" I tried my very best to keep eye contact _and_ not blush. "Thank you for the daffodils, they're lovely, just looking at them makes me cheerful."

His smile widened a bit, "ah, I'm glad you like them, let's hope these one make it through the night. Speaking of which, I came to tell you that the royal guards completed a full and thorough search of the castle and came up empty handed. Whoever it was that entered your room, they're long gone."

I let out a breath. "Oh, well that's good to know. I did a sweep of this room too but I didn't think about the rest of the castle. D-do you know how they got in?"

Julius shook his head, frowning, his features sharpening. "Unfortunately, it seems they took advantage of the fact that the capital was under attack to slip in. There were no signs of forced entry anywhere and no one saw or heard anything. However they got in, it was done silently and without anyone noticing anything." I sighed loudly in relief. He quirked his eyebrow at my reaction and I smiled weakly.

"That's the only good thing that came out of this. It means no one got hurt." I explained.

"No, it seems you're the one they're after." He hummed.

My eyes dropped to the ground, "I'm sorry." I said in a quiet voice. "I didn't mean to cause this much trouble." I blinked, feeling the burn of tears gathering.

"Trouble? You're not causing trouble, I was just observing. I apologize for making you think that." I nodded meekly. Julius sighed a little, his hand coming to lift my chin up, my eyes meeting his. "I promise you'll be safe. Trust me, okay?"

I gulped. "Okay."

Julius smiled gently, "Look, I didn't just come here to upset you. I came to explain why I missed dinner."

My eyebrows furrowed before I chuckled lightly, "you don't owe me an explanation! You're the _Wizard King_ , it can't be helped." It didn't cross my mind that Julius would even think this was an issue.

"Still, I would like you to know. These interrogations are unfortunately going nowhere and as Marx put it, I've spent too much time away from my duties this last week and a half. Before meeting you, I was in the forest looking into some dissidents, looking for signs of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. I'm quite behind on my duties and Marx is no longer willing to do them for me." Julius sighed petulantly, like a child who was denied a sweet.

I didn't quite know what came over me. Julius was going on about Marx and how he was not unlike a dictator, he was being so kind and reassuring that I felt a surge of affection for him. I smiled, gathering my gathering my courage. As quickly as I could, I stepped onto my tiptoes, leaned forward, and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek.

Julius stopped talking, closing his mouth abruptly, and if it wasn't for the dark of the hallway, I could have sworn he was blushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So????????? What did you all think? Was it who you thought it was? There was a v. important reason to have Solid be the 'ghost' and I call it my attempt at development. I really wanted to incorporate the idea that the reader isn't alone and that it's not just Julius in her world. Ya girl needs friends. Also, just letting you guys know now, I'm not really planning on having her actually join the MKs, its really there for the sake of my plot and how the story will later unravel.


	10. X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going out with friends is the best!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me.

_**Black Clover** _

**X**

_Julius smiled gently, "Look, I didn't just come here to upset you. I came to explain why I missed dinner."_

_My eyebrows furrowed before I chuckled lightly, "you don't owe me an explanation! You're the Wizard King, it can't be helped." It didn't cross my mind that Julius would even think this was an issue._

" _Still, I would like you to know. These interrogations are unfortunately going nowhere and as Marx put it, I've spent too much time away from my duties this last week and a half. Before meeting you, I was in the forest looking into some dissidents, looking for signs of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. I'm quite behind on my duties and Marx is no longer willing to do them for me." Julius sighed petulantly, like a child who was denied a sweet._

_I didn't quite know what came over me. Julius was going on about Marx and how he was not unlike a dictator, he was being so kind and reassuring that I felt a surge of affection for him. I smiled, gathering my gathering my courage. As quickly as I could, I stepped onto my tiptoes, leaned forward, and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek._

_Julius stopped talking, closing his mouth abruptly, and if it wasn't for the dark of the hallway, I could have sworn he was blushing._

"Thank you." I said shyly. "You've been so kind to me this entire time and you didn't have to be."

He cleared his throat. "Well, yes. Um." I kept my mouth shut though I wanted to laugh. It seemed he was a little speechless. "Like I was saying, I'm going to be rather busy the next couple of days. That said, I would like to spend the day together soon. I'm sure you have lots of questions and I'd like to you to have my full attention."

I nodded, swallowing thickly. _A whole day with Julius?_ "That sounds nice." I said, trying not to sound too eager. I felt a little nervous now, the boldness I felt when I kissed his cheek was gone, and now I felt all too aware of his proximity.

Julius was smiling lazily, the low light from the candles added an appealing glow to his face. "Now that that's cleared, I'll go ahead and let you sleep, I have a long night of paperwork ahead of me, unfortunately."

"I understand, thank you for coming to update me. Goodnight Julius." I said sweetly.

He stared at me for a moment, pondering. "Goodnight." He said thoughtfully. Julius lingered in the doorway briefly before shutting the door quietly behind him.

I let out a light breath, feeling a little dazed from my own actions and being so near Julius again. The chat with Mimosa helped me come to terms a little for my intense feelings but it didn't mean I needed to act on it right away either. I _was able to_ take things slowly. I had time now.

 _Still, I'm spending a day with him soon._ Feelings aside, it was an important day. There were a lot of things I needed to discuss with Julius, the sooner the better. I wanted to be tactful however, this little moment we had was not enough time for me to sit him down and explain my questions. There was the question of whether I should mention to Julius the little run-in with the king. King Clover was out of line, so much so that _Solid_ of all people had to step in. He was creepy and I didn't like the feeling I got around him but he _was the king_ and maybe telling Julius wouldn't do a thing to change it.

Then there was the mana I felt around Captain Vangeance. It was such an odd thing but I couldn't very well just randomly accuses his top captain of being a member of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. These things needed to be stated calmly, with his full attention, like he said. Then, I had the predicament of deciding whether being a Magic Knight was the right thing for me. Whatever I chose, Julius needed to know. He didn't demand to know anything or even be apart of my life, happy with what information I gave but I felt like this was something he had to know, and although I loathed to have my options taken away, whatever he said would definitely sway my opinion.

Attack magic wasn't my specialty, it was a total fluke that I managed to not die against Sally. As glad as I was to learn a new spell, I knew that Magic Knights specialized in combat and I didn't really have the moral strength to keep it going. Fighting wasn't something I enjoyed. I had been forced to fight by the Diamond Kingdom and it left a distaste in my mouth. But I wanted to help. And this was my country now. _I do my best to protect the country. Mimosa doesn't specialize in defensive magic either. We can figure something out._

I sighed, startling a bit when I realized I was staring at the door Julius closed. I lazily blew the candles out with a stroke of my hand, the mana in the air clenching around the flames and extinguishing them.

I stared at the spot where the flame used to be, only the cool glow of the moon as my source of light.

I racked my brain a little more before shaking my head and flopping face first into my soft mattress. All those difficult thoughts could wait until morning, I decided, closing my eyes and turning to my side. I hoped tomorrow would bring me another good day and for the first time in a long time, I was asleep the moment I pulled the blankets over me.

*******

Marx grumbled to himself as his seventh attempt at reaching Julius via communication portal was left unanswered. _That Julius! He's always doing this to me! Leaving his work behind to dally off somewhere and then he has the nerve to ignore my calls? That's it! I've had enough!_ He resisted the urge to pull at his hair, taking one look at the stack of paper on the Wizard King's desk. "Oh, who am I kidding." Marx sat down on the extra chair and pulled the first pile to him to begin organizing.

The day had been long for him as well.

He woke up at five a.m sharp every morning for the last six years without fault. With the exception of today. Last night's preliminary sweep of the castle caused him to sleep in until _six twenty-three a.m._ Needless to say, the entire schedule he kept was delayed.

Marx had to arrange the speech, make sure the preparations were in order so that every Clover citizen would be able to see and hear the broadcast. Not to mention get all nine squad captains in one place at the same time was next to _impossible._ The speech had gone smoothly, much to his delight.

Interrogating the prisoners had gone nowhere either. Even with the use of his memory magic, there was a blocking spell placed on the two captured terrorists. It wasn't an ideal situation and he had no idea what to do over it. Julius had just hummed to himself.

Speaking of Julius, the man had been _distracted_ the last couple of days. To anyone else, there would be no visible difference. But Marx had served Julius for a long time and he liked to think he knew the Wizard King rather well, well enough to know when he was in fact, distracted.

Marx had little doubt of what the reason was for this sudden daze. He couldn't prove it quite yet, but if what he walked into outside the throne room was anything to go by…

"Ah, hello Marx." Julius's familiar relaxed voice came through. _Finally. I've reached him._

"There you are!" He really tried to remain calm. But Julius knew how to push all his buttons. "This is my _eighth_ attempt trying to reach you! Where are you? You better have a good reason for avoiding my calls!"

The Wizard King's chuckle did little to soothe Marx's frazzled nerves. "Now, don't go giving yourself a heart attack over it. If you must know, I'm actually on my way to my office to finish that paperwork."

Marx felt relief, Julius was _actually_ going to do his work. Without complaint? It seemed suspicious. Marx narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on. The door to Julius's office opened and in strolled Julius himself, smiling widely.

"Seeing as I'm here now, I'm going to let you go. Bye now." He said into the portal before closing it. "Hiya Marx, long time no see."

The bluenette stood up, his eyes still narrowed. Something was up. Julius shrugged when he didn't answer and sat down at his desk, whistling a cheerful tune as he filed paperwork. Which was absurd, Julius only whistled morbid funeral tunes when he filled out his papers. "Sir, where were you?"

"Oh, you know."

Marx sat back down, blinking rapidly. " _No,_ I don't know. What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you don't? Silly me." Julius said nothing more and Marx waited but the Wizard King continued working.

 _He's actually working. I'm not letting this gift go to waste. Just shut up and work._ Marx nodded to himself, picking up where he left off. As they worked in a comfortable silence, Marx went back to his original thought. There was little reason as to why Julius was acting the way he was. Even now, it was more apparent. _It's that girl. The one he found in the forest._ Since her arrival to the castle, there was a subtle difference that lingered in the air, one that had Julius completely enamored.

Not that he could really blame him. There was a certain charm to her, he supposed. She was polite and there was a feeling of comfort he felt around her, like a warm hug after a long day. It was hard not to be drawn in, her pretty features didn't make it any easier. It was obvious to him at least, that she had eyes only for Julius. It was a little startling, how quickly it was developing but he had nothing against it.

Julius seemed _happier_ and despite seeming distracted was getting his work done sooner and quicker. With all the recent threats to the country, it was nice to see a bright spot in all the darkness. Marx knew she was no threat either. Her old ties to the Diamond Kingdom were one hundred percent one sided, she wanted nothing to do with them.

Marx's eyes flitted to where Julius was diligently signing papers with a small smile on his face, still humming a more cheerful tune. Marx couldn't help but smile fondly a little, dropping his eyes back to the proposal he was reading.

_No, she isn't a threat. After all, I'm the one who saw all her memories._

*******

The next three days passed quietly, with me doing small explorations around the castle, finding some wonderful little treasures. Julius had been spending less time around me as he said. It was completely understandable as well, he was the Wizard King, his time was very high in demand. He couldn't spend all his time with me, no matter how much I wanted it. He did however stop by to wish me a goodnight every night.

The attack on the royal capital wasn't even a week ago, the incident was still fresh in the minds of the people.

But I was looking forward to later in the week, when we would spend time together. In the meantime, I was content on familiarizing myself with my new country. In my time exploring the castle bit by bit, one of the best things I stumbled across was a large, lascivious library. Rows and rows of books lined the two floors, with plenty of areas to sit, study, read, or even get lost in the shelves.

Much of those two days were spent reading. I read books on the culture of the Clover Kingdom, read about its history, how the Magic Knights came to be, the royal families, the hierarchy, basically everything and anything Clover related, I was trying to learn. And there was _much_ to learn. The history ran deep and accounts were blurred concerning some events, like the demon attack and the elves. I had yet to dip into that particular point in history and set the book down, sighing quietly.

I stretched my legs, starting with my toes, enjoying the soft pops. It seemed I had been reading for longer than I thought. Still, I stood from the plush seat and padded across the marble floors. I moved to leave the library and passively wondered what I should do, I didn't want to explore any more. What if I got lost again? Worse, what if I ran into one of the Royal families? Mimosa and Leopold wouldn't be so bad but they were off on missions. So even then, I couldn't count on them to help me find my way out.

I shuddered thinking about the Silvas. I would hate running into any of them. I hadn't seen Solid since that day in the garden, but I didn't mind. Try as I might, I just couldn't really understand his reasoning.

 _I could see if Vanessa was available?_ _She said I could call her whenever._ I dug into the pockets of my cloak that lay across the sofa, until I felt the cool metal graze my fingers. She hadn't told me how to use it but it seemed easy enough. I opened the clasp, staring blankly at the mirror. What did I do now?

Feeling slightly foolish, I whispered, "Vanessa Enoteca." I nearly dropped the thing when it fogged up, pink swirling with the fog. After a few seconds, the mist dissipated and I peered cautiously into it. It was no longer reflecting me but it seemed to be pointing at the ceiling. I could hear voices muttering in the background but couldn't make out the words. "Um, hello?"

As the seconds wound down and it seemed no one heard me, I felt more than foolish. The circular device's scenery changed, and Vanessa's smiling face popped into view. "Hey there! Sorry if you waited long, I couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from."

"Vanessa! How are you?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? After all, I wasn't the one kidnapped." She pointed out.

I shook my head, "I'm fine. Really. I was only captured for a few hours at most, Julius came to the rescue shortly after. I remain completely unharmed."

"Well, if you say so." Vanessa's smile grew, as if she just thought of something. "Hey, it's a slow day, why don't you come over and we can hang out?"

It was exactly what I was hoping for. "Really? You mean it?"

She nodded, "yeah, I can call Finral to go get you if you want. He's not doing anything anyway. I'll have him meet you in the same place as last time."

"Okay! Let me just tell Julius where I'm going." A mischievous look crossed her face but Vanessa remained silent. "I'll see you in a bit." I snapped the device close and patted down my dress, the castle halls were kept warmer now, not sure if I was imagining it or not, I didn't mention it to anyone.

I made my way to Julius's office, he mentioned that his duties would keep him chained there the whole day. _More like Marx is the keeping him chained._ I sniggered softly to myself and politely knocked on the double doors. I heard the faint rumble of a 'come in' and pushed the doors open, peeking my head through the crack.

Like I predicted, Julius was deep in work behind a pile of paperwork. I could barely see the top of his head over the pile. "Julius?"

He looked up quickly before smiling at me. "Hi there, fancied a chat?" He eagerly pushed the papers in front to the ground and I laughed internally, it seemed Julius would do anything to avoid his duties.

I entered the room, walking to stand in front of his desk. I picked up the fallen paperwork, neatly organizing them before handing them off to Julius. I ran my fingers through my hair, suddenly feeling very nervous. _Snap out of it. He said my days are my own right? It should be fine._ "Actually, I was letting you know that I'm going to spend the rest of the day with Vanessa. She has the day off and we agreed to meet up."

Julius leaned back in his chair, his arms folded behind his head. "That sounds like a nice day. I wish I could leave as well. Unfortunately, Marx is keeping me here under the threat of death." He chuckled.

"He's quite the slave driver. Whatever will you do?" I said dramatically. Julius playfully narrowed his eyes at me but his wide smile meant he wasn't actually mad. "So I can go?"

"Dear, you don't need permission to spend your time as you want. You're not a prisoner here. Besides, what's safer than being in the company of Magic Knights?" Julius lightly shook his head and eyed the towering paperwork. "Did you need me to drop you off at the Base?"

A warm smile spread across my face, "no, Finral is coming to get me but I appreciate the offer." I tried not to laugh at how petulant he looked. Julius pouted, visibly disappointed at having to stay here.

"Well alright then. I should get back to my duties. Have a nice time out and don't be home too late, I'd like for us to have dinner together."

I waved my goodbyes and left Julius and his stack of work behind. _Home. That sounds really nice._ My heart fluttered at our interaction, no matter how short it was. _He wants to have dinner together._

My heart sang as I made my way out of the castle. My feelings for Julius were only growing stronger and all this time alone was making me overthink and overprocess things for much too long. Since that night, when I was so bold to kiss his cheek, our interactions, however small, had been _softer_ in a way. More room for teasing. It wasn't even until now that I realized that Julius used a term of endearment for me.

I skidded to a stop, blushing violently. _He called me dear. I'm not even imagining that. It actually happened. This is what I meant! I need to get out of the castle._

I was going to explode otherwise.

I needed some time out of the castle, _with my friends._ A smile crossed my face as I thought the last part. I was on my way to hang out with _friends._ It was such a typical, _normal_ thing to do. It felt like I was truly becoming part of the people.

Finral was waiting for me in the same spot where I met him for the first time, looking just as bored, moving his head around, no doubt trying to spot some girl to charm. I grinned, in the few interactions I had with the spatial mage, I found him to be very kind and sweet. I stepped away from the castle and began walking over to him, waving to catch his attention. "Finral! Hi!" I called.

He stirred, straightening from the wall he was leaning against. A wide smile broke across his face as I came closer. I rolled my eyes, remembering what Vanessa told me about Finral. "Oh hey! How are you?" Finral asked, leaning forward a bit. His flirtatious smile dropped, "seriously, we heard from Asta what happened. That must have been really scary."

I gave him a small smile, "I'm fine. It wasn't so bad, after all, Julius came and saved the day, hahaha…" I was a little taken aback that Asta had told the Bulls what had happened to me but felt a rush of affection nonetheless. It was sweet. "I'm glad to be alive, that's for sure! That's not important, I'm excited to spend time outside. I've been going a little stir-crazy. I'm happy to get out and see all the sights."

"That's good to hear since we're not heading straight to the Base." Finral explained better at the confused expression on my face. "Just a minor detour really, Vanessa had me drop her off at a bar on the way here. We just need to pick her up and then head over to the Bulls."

"Oh, okay. Do you know which bar?"

"Yeah, she's over in Kikka." Finral opened his grimoire, the cool toned colors swirling together to form a portal. "So, um, after you?" His arms wobbled a little waiting for me to step through. _It must be a strain on his mana to hold the portal in place for too long._

"Sorry!"

The quiet archway outside the palace changed into an empty alley with the chatter of people in the distance before I finished stepping out. I ran my hands down my dress, smoothing it down and picking away at a piece of lint. _There, I look presentable._

Finral appeared next to me, stopping my actions when I moved to step out into the daylight. I frowned at him. "Aren't we meeting Vanessa at a bar?" This was Kikka right?

"We are. But the bar she's in isn't out here in the Castle Town. We're going into the Black Market and this is as close as I can get us to. Unfortunately, there are wards preventing spatial magic from the outside in from working."

"Why's that?"

"Well, my guess is because they need to be able to close up shop in case of a raid, so having someone use spatial magic to get out without having anyone be able to get in by spatial magic is pretty useful."

"That makes sense. Believe it or not, there was not a lot of information about the Black Market in the books I read."

"Hahaha." It was obvious that was something Finral found odd. "Anyways, we're walking the rest of the way there, it should be easy enough to get there. It's on the main street." I nodded and followed him into the passageway that led to the Black Market.

Nearly instantly, I was accosted by the feeling of all the mana combined here. It wasn't painful but it was more suffocating than being inside and since the first time Vanessa brought me here, I felt a small distaste for the environment in general.

We walked by the street lined with vendors and more than a few suspicious looking people. Needless to say, I made sure to stay relatively close to Finral as we passed. We were given a wide berth, no doubt because of the Bull stamped on Finral's robe.

A small, cool breeze fluttered along my skin, drawing the obvious shiver from me. I felt Finral shift next to me. "Oh, are you cold?"

"Not really, these little drafts here and there are more annoying than anything. I've never really been all that fond of cooler weather, so I'm glad we're going towards warmer climates." I smiled, reaching for the small satchel on my side, where my cloak lay folded.

Finral stopped, turning me to face him. I looked at him questioning. "Good thing I'm prepared for these kind of situations!" To my surprise, he opened a portal and before I could blink had stepped out of another portal, a burgundy fabric draped over one arm.

"Finral, what is that? Where did you go?"

"Here, it's for you!" He shook out the material, it was a cloak, this one was definitely made for a woman. "This way you won't be cold anymore." Finral looked so proud of himself, I didn't have the heart to tell him my own cloak was just centimeters away.

Instead, I let my smile widen, being as sincere as I could, "thank you. That was really thoughtful of you."

A flirtatious smile crossed his face and I eyed him suspiciously. " _Allow me?_ "

I raised an eyebrow, not catching his meaning. "Huh?" I looked at the robe held nervously in his hands. A wane smile tugged at my lips."Oh! Sure."

"R-really?" Finral's confident smile dropped, being replaced by something much more awkward.

I shrugged. "Why not?"

"Um, okay." Finral took a half step closer to me and I remained still, allowing him to wrap the new robe around me. His cheeks were red and I tried not to chuckled at how awkward the whole situation was. Something told me that perhaps Finral wasn't quite the ladies' man he tried to come off as. _He didn't think he'd have to follow through._ I snickered internally.

The seconds stretched on and his shaky fingers didn't help the matter either. After a bit of stumbling he grabbed the strings and began tying them together, careful to avoid touching me. A sudden thought occurred to me as I eyed the cloak he brought. I frowned. “Hey Finral?”

”Yeah?”

”I thought you said you couldn’t use spatial magic inside the Black Market.”

He laughed nervously. “Did I? I don’t really remember what I said.”

”You did.” I stared him down, his hands halting in their motion. 

“You got me.” Finral faintly laughed. “I only said that so I could walk with you.”

“What?”

”I wasn’t gonna pass up on the chance to walk next to a pretty lady.” I glared at his cheeky smile and swatted his shoulder, huffing but allowing him to finish.

"What a lovely couple." A familiar, slightly off voice rang through as Finral tightened the knot of the cloak. "Perfect weather for a date."

Finral dropped his hands as if burned and started stuttering nervously. I laughed a little at his embarrassment, not quite sure why he was so flustered. I cleared my throat and began good naturedly as I turned to answer the new voice, "We're not-Hey it's you!" I pointed at the old lady.

It was the same one from my first time in the market, the one I had won all that yul from, the one that when I tried to hand it back, _dropped to the floor_ and disappeared. And now she was here, not five feet away, sitting in her booth, with a most displeased look on her face. Her wrinkly eyes were narrowed in our direction and as I examined it more closely, her glare seemed directed at _Finral_ of all people.

She heard me call her out, stared at Finral some more before processing what I said. "What was that dear? I didn't quite hear you, I'm very old you know."

"You're the lady from before, the one that taught me that card game." Today, the old lady was playing with a stack of cards, shuffling them in her hands as she looked at me.

"Ah, right you are dear. How are you doing?"

"Great!" I couldn't _not_ answer, she was my elder after all. "You just vanished into thin air!" She finished shuffling the cards, hitting them against the table to even them out before placing them flat down in a stack.

"I've never seen you in my life." I knew Finral was watching the exchange and that there was a small crowd beginning to draw as I argued with an old lady.

"It was just a few days ago!"

"Dear me, I"m a very old lady. I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Right before my eyes, she knocked her deck of cards to the ground. "Look, how clumsy of me. Be right a moment."

I felt bad and moved to help. "Here, let me." I bent down to reach under the tablecloth, dropping my jaw as I realized that she had done it _again._ Sure enough, like last time, the old lady was gone and so were her stack of cards.

I scurried back to my feet, glancing at Finral. "You saw that, right? The old lady vanishing?"

"I'm not sure _what_ I saw."

Silently agreeing to never talk about it again, we headed to the bar without anything eventful happening and with at least a foot of distance between us.

When the doors swung open and we walked in, we immediately saw Vanessa. She was sitting alone but with a pile that normally suggested several people partook but I knew better. It wasn't all that busy in the establishment itself, I expected a rougher, grittier experience. The stories I heard were just that, stories. A few groups of men littered the area here and there but the robe on the witch's shoulders must have dissuaded a larger amount of trouble. Vanessa looked up from her drink, grinning widely when she spotted the two of us. "Hey you guys! Over here!" She yelled as if she was sitting across the bar, not two feet in front of her.

I waved sheepishly. "Hi, Vanessa, we can see you." Finral offered his greeting next to me and we both took seats across from here. "Having fun?"

"Lots!" She exclaimed, a flush from the alcohol slightly present. "What'cha wearin'? Is that a new robe? It's a little different from the other one you were carrying around." I looked down at the dark red fabric, frowning. _Did Vanessa get to see my cloak?_ The blue hue was a drastic change from this one borrowed from Finral.

 _A little different from the other one? It's a whole different color wheel, what is she...She must be talking about Julius's robe!_ "Er, this isn't mine. Finral lent to me since I was a little cold."

Her pink eyes met mine before blinking. Vanessa let her head back, laughing. "Oh man, he really got you huh?"

"What?" I looked at Finral accusingly. He shrugged his shoulders and left the table for some drinks (and space from Vanessa's too much personality). _Traitor._

"Our resident flirt here always has extra supplies stashed in his room in case, and I'm quoting him here, "a lovely lady requires my assistance." His spatial magic makes it all too easy to accomplish. To my knowledge no one has ever taken him up on the offer. Me included." She added thoughtfully.

I snapped my fingers. "That explains it. No wonder he was such a mess when he asked to tie it on me and seemed so _surprised_ that I let him go ahead."

Vanessa sat back in her seat, grinning. "No kidding. So the kid's all bark and no bite. Go figure."

"Eh, I don't really mind. It was a little cold so I was grateful for the gesture. He's a nice guy."

Vanessa held up one finger, putting her bottle to her lips and taking a deep drink. I sat there primly, allowing her time to finish her drink. I was in no rush after all. "Ahhhh, there's nothing like a nice drink on a nice day!" She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, ignoring my look of disgust. "Don't you agree?"

I eyed the large pile of glasses all stacked up on the table, the bitter smell of the alcohol had me wrinkling my nose. "I can't say I've had the pleasure of trying it. So I can't weigh in either way."

The pink haired witch sat straight up, making an intense eye contact that had me shifting in my seat a little. "You've really never had a drink?"

I shook my head. As children, we weren't allowed alcohol and my parents weren't drinkers. At least around us. Under the care of the kingdom, as trainees, we were forbidden to have it, as it could weaken our senses. As I grew older, as others moved up in ranks, opportunity arose but I was long put away by then, my only interaction with the substance was when the guards would show up hungover, the stench of it still on them.

I couldn't deny I wasn't a little curious about it.

"You're old enough to drink right? If not that okay, I'll slide you some anyways, I am a Magic Knight after all. There's gotta be some perks right? Kidding! Only not really!" A sparkle entered her eyes as she eagerly waved her hand in the air, demanding the bartender come to her.

Waving my hands in the air, I made to protest her. "I don't think it's a good idea I drink. I've never had it after all, who knows how I'll react?"

"That's the fun part! Besides, we'll be here to take care of you. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Here. It's on me."

"I couldn't! Let me pay for my drink, at least." I began digging through my bag, trying to find my little pouch of yul.

"Put that away, I'm treating you all night." I opened my mouth to protest but she raised her hand at me. "Think of this as a gift from me, as a congrats."

"On what?"

"Becoming a citizen of course."

"You know about that?"

Vanessa nodded. "The Captain told us after all. So don't fight it." She slid a tall glass of something _orange_ of all colors across the table towards me.

I caught the drink easily and stared at it, unsure of what to do. "What is this?"

"Taste it and find out. While you do that, don't mind if I help myself." Vanessa held up two bottles cheerfully in the air, demanding a song.

I had enough of examining the drink and put it to my lips, taking a hesitant sip. To my delight, it wasn't bitter in the slightest, a sweet fruity taste that hid the alcohol well. This was something I could see myself drinking. I idly sipped at it, finishing the first glass before Finral even came back.

"So? What do you think?" Vanessa's wide smile burst into my frame of vision. I reeled back a little at the sudden intrusion.

I offered her a nod. "It was nice. I wouldn't mind another."

"Say no more!" Vanessa managed to get me another one shortly after.

I sipped at it thoughtfully, watching the stitch witch chug her drinks like they were water. A sudden thought popped into my head and I put my drink down on the table, dropping my chin into my propped palm. "Hey Vanessa, why are you so nice to me?"

"You're silly! What are you talking about?"

It occurred to me that maybe she was too drunk to answer me but I tried anyways. "I'm from a foreign country, you should be wary of me but I'm here with you. Don't get me wrong, I'm honored that we're hanging out, I really want to be friends but I'm curious."

Vanessa eyed me, laughing a bit before speaking. "You're such a lightweight. You're thinking too deep into this. The Captain trusts you so that's all that matters. Besides, I'm not from the Clover Kingdom either."

"You're not?"

"Nope." Vanessa leaned back, ignoring my wide eyed expression. "I'm originally from the Forest of Witches. I was imprisoned for years in a cage, not allowed to interact with anyone else. I wanted to see the sky for myself."

My throat felt thick, I didn't know Vanessa had such a similar backstory to my own, just as tragic. "What happened?" I whispered. It had taken me this long to break free, to find the ability to leave and she had accomplished the same at a much younger age. I needed to know how she had done it, I needed to compare the two and see what I could have done better.

She shrugged. "What else? I managed to escape, much like you."

"But _how?_ " I heard stories of the Queen of the Forest of Witches, she wasn't a merciful women and even the Diamond Kingdom deterred from entering her lands.

Vanessa sighed wistfully. Slowly sipping at her drink. "A man named Yami Sukehiro rescued me. Showed me how to avoid my fate." She said in between sips. "Then I ended up here, as a Black Bull." I nodded, finishing my second drink. "What about you?"

I raised my eyebrows, "what about me?"

"Well, how did you escape? It couldn't have been easy. I was lucky enough to have had the Captain as back up."

I paused, wondering how to go about it. It was getting harder to string my thoughts together. Vanessa passed me another glass without a breath and I took it, shrugging. These things really were like drinking juice. I barely noticed when I finished the first one. "The security was low and I took the chance to jump through my window and run like a bat out of hell to the forest around the castle, praying that I wouldn't be caught."

"Which you weren't."

I chuckled, "no, I wasn't. I would have been if I hadn't run into Julius." Vanessa leaned in, suddenly seeming more interested. It was so easy to talk to her. "He was in the forest that night too. We ran into each other and he helped me out. My life has changed so much and I'm so grateful to him for being so kind and supporting me. I really couldn't have gotten this far without Julius's aid." I finished somewhat lamely, a small flush spattered across my cheeks.

I was quiet after that, being satisfied with starting my new drink and Vanessa seemed to agree. Halfway done with that one, Finral finally came back to our table, looking very forlorn. He plopped down at the table next to Vanessa and planted face against the table. Vanessa smiled, wrapping her arm around his shoulders, "What's wrong buddy? All the girls here turn ya down?"

He nodded, his hair moving but his face remained connected to the wood. I shrugged, finishing my third drink, wondering at the curious tingly sensation that was starting at my fingertips. Vanessa tried to cheer Finral up by shoving beer down his throat, to which Finral was more than agreeing to. "C'mon, cheer up! Those girls don't know what they're missing! Drink up and forget about it!" She aimed to cheer up Finral but passed me a bottle as well.

_Vanessa is a really, really good motivator. Julius is also a really good motivator. Except he's way cute. Vanessa is beautiful too but Julius is so… cute._

I smiled goofily to myself. I put the bottle to my lips and nearly spat it out. This was so unlike the three earlier drinks, it was bitter and what I was more familiar with in terms of alcohol. Not wanting to make a scene, I slowly nursed at it, letting myself get used to the flavor.

"Vanessa, this is so gross." I muttered before I knew what I was saying. I wanted something sweet to eat, maybe a cake or something, to take the taste out of my mouth.

"That's because you haven't drank enough!" She cheered. "Finish that one and I'll get you started on the next!" To her right, Finral was drinking them down like a champ. "That's that spirit Finral! Drink up!"

A few minutes or hours could have passed where all we did was chat amongst ourselves as we progressively got drunker. Our conversation was made up of sharing a few life stories, talking about the day, and listening to Finral complain about his lack of a love life.

At some point, Vanessa had enough of the pleasant chat, standing up abruptly. "You know, we need some excitement and I know just the thing. Let's play truth or dare!" Vanessa exclaimed, waving her wine bottle in the air.

Finral and I eyed each other. I wasn't sober enough to really be opposed to the idea but I wasn't drunk enough to not have some reserves. I had never played the game before but if it had anything to do with the name, I was sure to understand the gist of it. "Truth or dare?" I parroted.

"Yes! You go first! Then the person that you pick goes and we'll continue the order." Vanessa said, crossing her arms, obviously proud of herself for coming up with rules. "Anything goes! You have to answer the question or do the dare, no backsies!"

I nodded, my eyes hazily landing on Finral. "Finral." He perked up, looking at me. "Truth or dare?"

"Uh, dare?"

With that his fate was sealed. "I dare you to use your spatial magic and get me the best cake in the country."

The brunette started, unsure of what I said. "You want me to get you a _cake_?"

"Not just _any_ cake, the _best_ cake."

"Okay." I was expecting more of a fight.

Vanessa and I patiently waited for Finral to return, sitting in a comfortable silence. "You really wanted that cake huh?" She asked me.

I nodded, noting how fuzzy my brain sounded. "Yes. I told you that stuff was awful and who am I to pass this up?"

"Hmm. Smart."

"Thanks, what flavor do you think he's bringing back? I didn't really specify. I'm hoping for something fruity."

"You really think he hasn't given up by now? You have more faith in Finral than I do. If he does come back, whatever flavor should be fine. It's cake after all." Vanessa said wisely.

As if summoned, one of Finral's portals opened in the space in front of our table. "You really thought I was going to give up?" Finral whined, stepping out of the portal, holding a white box in his hands.

My eyes zoomed on the box he was carrying and I was quick to take it off his hands. "You're back! With cake!"

"Uh duh. Do you even know what I had to do to get that?" Finral sat down, launching into a full and formal complaint. "The place was closed to so I had to break in and take a cake but I did leave money on the counter...still! Do you even understand how stressful that situation was for me? _Blah-"_ I ignored the rest of his speech, focusing on the box now in front of me.

I licked my lips and eagerly forced the box open. I peered over the paper box, into the center of it. It was a beautiful pastry, exquisite in nature and sure to be delicious in taste. It looked every bit the cake I imagined it when I dared Finral to grab it. "You did great Finral! This is just what I asked for."

As I was about to cut into the cake, Vanessa snapped the lid shut. She looked at me sternly as I pouted. "You can have the cake _after_ we finish the game. Finral." She snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention, having wandered to gawk at the two new girls that stepped into the establishment. "Pay attention. It's your turn!"

While Finral thought of what he was going to say, Vanessa pressed more drinks into my hands. Not wanting to upset her, I took them, setting them down next to me, the number of drinks I'd had were slowly forgotten the longer we sat. "Okay, got it. Vanessa. Truth or dare?"

She clapped her hands together, pretending to think about it. "Hmm. Truth."

Finral pouted. "What? Really?"

"Fine then. Dare."

"Yes! See those men over there?" He pointed to two, giant, burly, hairy men that surely had killed a man or two in their lives, over in the corner.

Vanessa sighed exasperated. "What's your point?"

"I dare you to get them to dance together."

"You should have them waltz." I piped in, still bitter over my cake.

"Thank you! Yes, I dare you to get them to waltz together." Finral said triumphantly

"Oh is that all?" Vanessa cooed, standing up. "Easy." She dusted her hands off and we watched with open mouths as she opened her grimoire, threads creeping out and discreetly wrapping around the men. She lightly tugged on her left hand, gleefully smirking as the men jumped to their feet, looking absolutely befuddled.

It was amazing, seeing her magic in action. Vanessa's threads were thin, nearly invisible to the eye, wounded over every joint on the men. Every tug, pull, or jerk and they moved. By itself, the movements were random but together, they formed an elegant waltz. It was an expert control and exceptional mana reserves that made it an actual dance.

With another twist of her hand, they joined hands, their chests pressed together, and began dancing slowly to a tune no one but Vanessa could hear. After much whistling from the crowd and even a few roses thrown, Vanessa severed the threads, rejoining her seat, leaving the two men utterly confused as to what happened. She smirked at the both of us, daring us to say something.

"T-that was cheating!" Finral yelped.

She waved a single finger in the air. "Nuh uh, you didn't clarify how I could do it, just that I had to, it's not my fault you forgot I used thread magic." Well, she _was_ right. I still thought it was impressive and rather funny. "Now, it's my turn." Vanessa tapped her chin in thought. "Alright, truth or dare?" She pointed at me and I felt a slight ominous feeling as I answered.

"Truth."

Vanessa leaned in close, placing her palms flat on the table. "What's your relationship with the Wizard King?"

I faintly heard Finral spit out his drink, slightly spraying me. But I didn't notice. My heart was pounding and I felt inexplicably nervous. _Why_? It didn't make sense to me. Vanessa's question bothered me. It bothered me because I didn't _know_ what our relationship was. Julius was there for me and in the short time I had come to know him, I couldn't get him out of my mind and life was beginning to get harder to imagine life without him. But to what to call it? I didn't know. I was just barely getting to acknowledge that there _was_ a relationship to begin with.

It didn't feel right, answering one way or another. "I change my mind, I choose dare." I knew I was chickening out but the alcohol made me bolder. In other words, I didn't care.

"What? You can't back out now!" Finral protested. "Vanessa said no backsies!"

"She changed her mind earlier!" I argued back.

"That was totally different."

"Enough!" Vanessa slammed her palm on the table so loudly that the entire bar went silent for a moment. "I'm allowing it."

"What?"

"You are?"

She nodded. "You said dare right? Simple. I dare you to kiss Finral."

" _WHAT?_ " Finral screamed, instantly reddening.

I stared at Vanessa, she was unmoving on this it seemed. I glanced at Finral who was panicking in the corner of my eye, then I looked at my drink. I picked it up and downed it all in one go. Wiping my lips and without a sound, I stood up and grabbed Finral by the shoulders, shaking him to attention.

"WHAT-" Even though I had no idea what I was doing and later would blame the alcohol, I somehow managed to smash my lips onto his. It was the strangest thing in the world because not even a few seconds in, Finral went completely still.

A little alarmed, I let him go. His body slumped to the ground without a sound and I could hear Vanessa barking with laughter in the background. _Did he faint?_ I stared at his fallen body and could no longer hold it in, I joined Vanessa, giggles bubbling from my chest and becoming full on guffaws. We made no attempt to help the mage out, instead clinking bottles and cheering wildly.

 _She was right,_ I thought as I took another drink. _I can't really taste it anymore. How fascinating. Fas-cin-nating, faaas, hahaha…_ My thoughts certainly jumbled, I still idly wondered when Finral would get up. After all, he was a dear friend of mine and it would hurt me terribly to see him permanently wounded. He stirred a few minutes later, slowly coming to and remembering the past hour. His face drained of color and he exploded into nervous chatter.

Vanessa and I could do nothing but watch, amused, as Finral unleashed a whole nervous dialect, lecturing us as all effects of the alcohol left him, he was now the only sober one of the group. In the middle of his speech, a new, pretty barmaid passed by with a tray of drinks and I could swear, his neck nearly broke with how fast he turned it. He lost interest in us, choosing instead to go flirt with the unfortunate employee.

"What was that?" I asked Vanessa behind my hand.

"That was Finral and his usual case of short attention span. It was really funny when he fainted though. I can't say I was expecting that." I shrugged, I wasn't either. To me, it was simply a dare and it really meant nothing. I didn't think it even counted as a kiss, considering all I did was put my lips in contact with his. I had no idea what Vanessa was hoping to accomplish, but it really did nothing. All it did was provide us with some top notch entertainment.

As the night progressed, I couldn't help but think that this was the most fun I had in awhile. Vanessa certainly knew how to cut loose, in ways I had never done before. It was different and exciting all at once. It was a nice break from all the chaos of the capital.

"Hey." Vanessa said, turning to face me.

"Hmm?"

"When you _do_ figure out what you're feeling, let me know? I like to think girl friends share these kinds of things." Vanessa said, smiling and patting her chest.

I laughed a little. "Sure. You gotta tell me stuff too though. Goes both ways."

She slung her arm over my shoulders, pulling me close for a side hug. "Aw, can't you see? The Captain's the only one for me! Look! I rhymed."

"What? You and Yami?"

Vanessa snorted, drinking deeply from her bottle. "More like me. Just me. It's completely one sided." she muttered miserably. "I'm going to die alone!"

I panicked, my drunken haze not equipped to deal with this moment or level of emotion. "Uh, here, have another drink! Drink away your pain."

She stared at me through her tears and I seriously thought she was going to punch me. Then, a wide smile cracked across her face. All tears and signs of crying gone, pure bliss replaced all negative emotions. "Yay! You're right! I don't need a man to be happy, leave that at the door! Tonight, we drink!"

*******

_My head is pounding. Did I hit it last night?_

_Why is my throat so dry?_

My eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the brightness of the room I was in. _Where am I?_ I tried sitting up, but groaned at the pain in my head, it was if someone had stepped on my head. _What happened?_

"Good morning. I hope you're not feeling too terribly." I lifted my hands to rub my eyes. I recognized those sheets. This was _my_ room. That was a relief. At least I knew where I was. Then that meant it could only be one person talking to me. I slowly raised my eyes to the sound of the voice. Sure enough, Julius stood a little away, closer to my door. He was carrying a tray in his hands which he set down on a small table near me. "Here, take this." He handed me a glass of water that I gratefully took.

I drank it quickly, I was so _thirsty._ I cleared my throat, feeling much better now that I had some water. I felt almost bashful now, meeting Julius's amused eyes. "Good morning Julius." I said shyly. Then I gasped, "I'm sorry that I missed dinner!"

Julius laughed, holding up a hand to stop me. "Did you have a fun time?" I peered at him over my glass cup, flushing. "Then that's all that matters. I told you, you're not bound to the castle or me. Feel free to do what you'd like. I'm glad to see that you're making friends."

"I'm still sorry about it. I was looking forward to spending some time with you." I said, playing with the tips of my hair, suddenly finding them interesting.

"When you're feeling better, I promise we'll spend the day together, I've managed to get a little ahead on my work." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Really?"

"Well, not ahead, but just enough that Marx won't be at my heels. But this is when you're feeling better, I don't think you're in quite the spot to be out and about." I nodded, feeling nauseous. Was this a hangover? I had heard the guards complain about them multiple times but never had the experience myself. Until now it seemed. I let out a huff or air and flopped back onto the bed.

"There's just a few things we need to talk about before I let you rest."

"Oh?"

Julius chuckled, looking very amused as he spoke. "I take it you don't recall much of last night."

My eyebrows scrunched together, unsure of what he was talking about. I tried piecing back the night and it all seemed foggy to me. "I don't remember a thing."

"Well, let's just say you and your friends got up to some interesting antics last night and the list is quite long. Would you like me to tell you?"

I shot back up, " _huh_?" Julius looked like he would laugh at any moment, enjoying this far too much. I could only think of one thing: what did we _do_ last night?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I hate alcohol, I really do. I don't drink the stuff but have in the past, so i know how stupid and how brave i can get, how anyone can get. REST ASSURED THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE, Finral is a bro, the broest of the bros/ not for reader in this fic. She's only got eyes for our love Julius and Finral isn't really into her like that, if anything, they're saltmates.


	11. XI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Consequences to hangovers include but are not limited to, churches, babysitting, delivery services, and a picnic with the Wizard King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ily all so much. <3

**_Black Clover_ **

  
  


**XI**

  
  
  
  


_Julius chuckled, looking very amused as he spoke. “I take it you don’t recall much of last night.”_

_My eyebrows scrunched together, unsure of what he was talking about. I tried piecing back the night and it all seemed foggy to me. “I don’t remember a thing.”_

_“Well, let’s just say you and your friends got up to some interesting antics last night and the list is quite long. Would you like me to tell you?”_

_I shot back up, “huh?” Julius looked like he would laugh at any moment, enjoying this far too much. I could only think of one thing: what did we do last night?_

* * *

**One week later**

My yawn is stifled as I raise my arms over my head and lightly shudder; the early morning air is still cool and crisp, given that it was _this_ early made it even more so. Eyelids heavy, I resist the urge to rub at the delicate skin and instead continue trudging my way through the castle. 

On my way out, I pass by the kitchens, unfortunately, the warm aroma of bread does nothing for my loss of appetite. _It’s too early for food._ I tug my cloak tighter around me, it was _unusually_ cold this morning, I glanced balefully at the stone walls, those didn’t help insulate a bit. As hot as it had been recently, the early morning proved to be another case. 

Outside, the sun’s position was low in the sky, barely making its way out. The moon was still out, a sliver in the sky. I chuckle, my huff of breath visible before me. Even the ground had a thin layer of dew that frosted over. Fortunately, it would all melt soon. It’s early enough that no one is out, the city is still sleeping for the most part, only a few residents starting their day, me included. Due to this, the quiet castle was almost eerie in its silence; the usual guards had yet to head to their posts. 

_Well, it’s such an ungodly hour, I don't blame them._

My footsteps click quietly against the stone steps as I head to the front gates. Oddly enough, despite the coldness, my mood is cheerful and I can’t help but hum. It’s the end of the week. There’s not a lot of songs in my repertoire so I make the tune along as I walk to my destination. 

The crocus that line the path are budding and I can’t help but smile lightly. They looked so delicate, their lilac petals appearing nearly translucent, however; they were strong enough to resist the frost that ate at everything else. It’s an almost sobering thought, threatening my light mood. _Nonsense,_ I shake my head before I could spiral into a darker thinking process. 

My melancholia is brief as I look up, towards the gate. I catch sight of the metal work and the shadow beneath it. My grin gets wider and my steps become quicker as I cross the rest of the courtyard. 

I’m nearly breathless but for a different reason when I stop in front of Julius, a sweet smile as a greeting on his face. Unbidden, my blush spreads across my cheeks as I rush to greet him. “Good morning!” To my shame, it’s unbearably perky.

“Good morning.” Julius doesn’t seem to notice or if he does, he’s graceful enough to overlook it. He pauses, then grins. “I take it you slept well.” His grin widens when I scowl. 

Nevermind. “I- fine. I slept fine.” Pouting slightly, I look away. At this point, I couldn’t blame the flush on my cheeks on the cold. 

Julius chuckles but says no more on the subject, instead offering his arm out. “Well, shall we head out?”

My irritation is abandoned in favor of carefully wrapping my hand on his forearm _without_ losing my senses. “Let’s.” I felt my lungs tighten for a moment and I closed my eyes to blink.

By the slightly warmer air, I could tell we weren’t in the capital any longer, in fact, all it took was one look around. And it happened in the blink of an eye. I sighed, even on a daily basis for a week and I would never get used to Julius’s transporting magic; I think I preferred brooms. I look over to him, craning my neck a little to reach his face. Brooms wouldn’t give me the excuse to slide over to him…

Even this early, he looked good. His eyes looked especially silver in this lighting. God he was so-

“You know, just because the captain does, doesn't mean you can treat me like a mule!” Just like that, my daydream was shattered. We both blink, matching perplexed looks on our faces as we step away from under the tree Julius had transported us to. I step cautiously, slightly behind Julius as we turn the corner.

There’s an inelegant snort. “What are you gonna do about it? Cry?” The voice is sharp, mocking. There’s a sinking feeling in my gut, I prayed I was wrong but…

“Are you _drunk_ right now? _Seriously_ ? Do you expect me to do all the work?” There’s a pause -- “ _I’m your superior officer!”_ It comes out mangled and strained, so filled with frustration that Julius and I look at each other and step back the way we came without another sound. 

We stop a little aways from the tree. “Tada! We’ve arrived!” Julius exclaimed helpfully. A giggle slips out and Julius looks pleased at the sound. He’s positively preening as he continues on. “Is it fine if I drop you off here? I can walk you straight to the orphanage if you’d like, maybe even sit in on breakfast, I’m sure the kids-”

He’s too eager at the idea of a detour and I step forward a bit, stopping him before he gets too carried away and goes through with his plans. “That’s very sweet of you but it’s not necessary. Besides, I don’t think Marx would be pleased with the deviation in his pristine time schedule. You’re still rather behind.” 

He sighs playfully. “Oh, alright. That Marx torments me so.” With his theatrics, it was hard to imagine Julius ever got _anything_ done. “Fine. I’ll be right under the tree when you’re done at the end of the day.” There’s an intensity in his eyes that staggers me for a moment. 

I’m suddenly very aware of how close we’re standing, too close for anyone to mistake us as anything other than lovers. The thought makes my head light. “Thank you.” I whisper faintly. I knew I was imagining things but Julius’s eyes darkened, and was he getting closer? 

A strangled scream tore through the moment and we both stepped away, I found it a little harder to breathe. _What the hell was that? The worst part is, I definitely know who it was._ Julius cleared his throat, drawing my attention back. “Well, I’m going to get going before Marx comes after me.” 

Despite my flush, I smiled back. “Yes, I’m going to head over before Finral has an aneurysm.”

“Ah, that would be for the best.” With one more warm look, the Wizard King was gone in a blink of an eye. I smiled fondly at the spot where he stood moments ago and when I was sure he wasn’t coming back, turned, sigh heavily, and walked over to the only two people that would be that loud this early. 

They were there, standing in front of a half-fixed fountain. Tools were scattered all around and the two were currently _not_ working. 

At least they were nearly done.

I wave as I approach the still arguing duo. “Good morning, you two.” 

My greeting goes ignored.

Finral, as if he hadn’t heard me, points a finger accusingly at Vanessa, who seems to be far in the process of getting drunk. It was only about six in the morning and I had to give it to her. At the moment, I couldn’t stomach any food, much less get drunk. “Y- _you!_ How _are you drinking_?” There’s a few planks of wood in his arms and I could tell he was having a hard time holding them. 

The stitch witch lets out a belch and pats her cheek. “Easy, you just _drink_ , Finral. There’s not all that much to it. Now, take that stick out of your ass and take a swig! You obviously need it.” 

Like watching a trainwreck, I couldn’t look away, much less intervene. Finral, the poor man turned a color entirely unbeknownst to mankind, his expressions twisted in such a way, I fear he had gone and actually had an aneurysm. “W-w-w…” _Oh dear._ “Wh-w-” I reeled back and away, recognizing the signs of a meltdown when I saw one. “ _WHAT?”_

_“Keep your voice down!_ ” Vanessa scolded. I agreed wholeheartedly but it was the wrong thing to say. “You’re gonna wake the whole town and they’ll complain and then the captain will really let us have it.”

His left eye twitched. “You realize you _drinking_ is the _entire_ reason why we’re here? You think I should keep my voice down after everything? You realize we could have gone to _jail_ -”

“Oh, keep your pants on-”

“ _Actual_ jail-”

“But we _didn’t_ -”

“And you think drinking more is going to fix things!?”

I figured it was a good time as any to step in, before Finral did _actually_ have that aneurysm. “Hey, let’s not argue about this!” I immediately rush to placate, my hands coming up. “We’re all in this together, there’s no need to fight one another. It’s just the fountain that's left, right?” 

As I hoped, they both turned to eye me, unreadable expressions on their faces. I was relieved for a moment. Then, Finral’s eye twitched. That relief died a hopeless death. It was clearly the wrong thing to say and I started to regret that almost immediately. 

Vanessa cleared her throat. “You know, that’s not helping and you have no room to talk.” I bit my lip, I knew exactly what she was getting at, it was one of the things she had griped about for the last week. 

Finral is nodding furiously. At least they were agreeing on something, even if that was agreeing on hating me at the moment. I still wasn’t going to not defend myself. “Well, last I recall, _I_ didn’t destroy the town’s plaza including their prized fountain.” It was a low blow, and I knew it. 

The spatial mage’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “I _cannot_ believe you. It was _you_ who instigated the situation!”

“And Vanessa.” I chirped. “Don’t forget she threw the first punch!” 

She gaped at me, finally standing from her seat at the edge of the fountain. “You're throwing me under the bus? After I punched that guy for you?” 

I hum, brushing a nonexistent piece of lint off my front. It was getting later in the day, I had to wrap this up quickly. “I did say thank you. But when I said, ‘take it outside’ I didn’t mean demolish the surroundings too.” They’re both making strangled noises and I decide to end it there. “Well, I’m off. You know how the Sister gets when I’m late! I’ll see you guys at lunch!” I wave and skip off cheerfully. 

I run off before Vanessa can wrap her thread around me, laughing at their baffled and indignation-riddled expressions. 

My smile was wide as I walked down the streets towards my destination. It was lighthearted humor and we were all in high spirits at the moment. However, that had not been the case a week ago. When I had awoken that morning, Julius had been kind enough to fill in some, not all, fuzzy details of last night. The list was long and varied and I had expectantly been horrified. 

There was a moment of sheer panic when I thought I was going to lose my citizenship. It must have reflected in my face because Julius rushed to explain the situation better. _That was the worst five seconds of my life._ I snorted, dusting off my front as I passed the old and worn buildings. 

In the Diamond Kingdom, I surely would have been imprisoned, if not worse, punishments there were much more intense. The Clover Kingdom was proving to be a much more merciful and lenient country.

_Apparently_ , this was not an uncommon situation, as Julius put it. The Black Bulls were known for being rowdy on the best of days, add in alcohol and they were downright destructive. It was nearly a weekly occurrence. No one ever died, so _apparently_ that made it all better. As this was the case, I didn’t really even get a slap on the wrist, just some ‘community service’. Vanessa and Finral were a slightly different story. 

They were magic knights after all and had to be held up to _some_ standard. Bar fights were one thing, that was to be expected in such establishments. Wrecking a poor town’s _entire_ plaza? 

Well, when Yami heard about that…

* * *

_I tightened my grip around Julius’s arm, clutching nervously as the magic wrapped around us slowly vanished, and we were left standing in a darkened alley. Feeling a little dazed from both the sudden fast travel and my proximity to Julius, I stumbled back a little. A few stray cats caught my eye before I focused back on the man in front of me, I could clearly see the question in his eyes. I managed a weak smile, “I’m not used to the feeling yet.”_

_His slate eyes crinkled in amusement. “Ah, I’ve been told it takes a few times to get accustomed to it.” A slow smirk grew on his face, “you should be used to it in no time.”_

_For seemingly no reason at all, I felt my face heat and I tore my eyes away from his face, a small blush forming. In the background, I could hear the blurred chatter of townspeople go about their day, not noticing the Wizard King hiding in some dark corner. “Aheh, well, wait, what are we doing here again?” I looked around the alleyway Julius chose to transport us to. It just seemed a little shady. And a little small, there was not enough distance between us._

_“You mean you don’t know? We went over this back at the castle.” He was teasing now, a playful lilt to his voice gave away his overtly confused act._

_The urge to roll my eyes was strong. “Of course I know what we’re doing here, I want to know why we’re here, as in this alley.”_

_He hummed, looking at his wrist as if the time was there. “They should be arriving any moment now.”_

_“They?”_

_As if summoned, a familiar green portal opened up on the wall near me. Surprised, I jumped back, out of the way, bumping in Julius’s chest. I had little time to worry about that, as Yami Sukehiro stepped out of the portal, his imposing body taking up a whole lot of room in the narrow space._

_“Yo.” He waved, taking a long drag of his cigarette. I could see he was holding something under his arm. The portal closed behind him and without a pause, he tossed whatever it was he held onto the stone ground. The twin groans of pain that emitted from the mass sounded vaguely human, and to my surprise, they stood and dusted themselves up. “Brought these two losers like you asked.”_

_“Do you have to be so rough with us, Captain? You know I’ve got a killer hangover.” Vanessa mumbled under her pink tresses, massaging her temples._

_“Yeah? And who’s fault is that?”_

_Ignoring his comment, Vanessa stood straighter and perked up considerably when she eyed me. “Hey girl! You are one awesome drinking buddy!” Vanessa waved vigorously before launching forward to grasp my hands in hers, ignoring or not noticing Julius standing right behind me. “We have to go again sometime! We’ll ditch the party pooper next time, whaddya say?”_

_I felt a cold sweat break out over my body at the mention of more drinking. “Uh, thanks Vanessa, but um, maybe we should lay off the drinking, considering it’s what got us in this situation?”_

_She pouted a little, dropping my hands. “Ugh, you’re no fun. Finral said the same thing, that spineless dud.”_

_“Hey! You weren’t the one that woke up in a prison cell!” Finral’s shrill voice joined from where he was still huddled on the ground. “_ **_And_ ** _I very much resent that! If I wasn’t such a spineless dud_ **_you_ ** _would be in jail right now! So you can start thanking me for stopping your murderous tendencies.”_

_“Cut it out.” Yami grumbled half-heartedly, puffing away at his cigarette. Julius and I made eye contact but he just raised his shoulders, seemingly content with letting Vanessa and Finral hash it out. Which they seemed intent on doing, regardless of their Captain’s orders._

_As predicted, they carried on as if Yami hadn’t spoken at all. “Excuse me? If I remember correctly, you were the one that brought us to Nairn in the first place! Which, as you know, there’s nothing there!” Vanessa argued, hands on her hips, glaring daggers at the spatial mage._

_It seemed Finral found his courage and was not backing down. I guess waking up in a jail cell did that to people. “You sure did a lot for nothing there! You drank ten men under the table! Me included! What more do you want? Oh no, sorry for trying to have a good time! Next time I’ll let you walk and then what will you do?”_

_“Knock if off you two.”_

_“Hah!” Vanessa pointed accusingly at Finral. “Don’t make me laugh. As if I need you to get around, don’t forget that I'm from the Forest of Witches. We eat weak men like you for breakfast.”_

**_“Vanessa. Finral.”_ **

_“I’m your superior!”_

_“SHUT IT!” Yami bellowed, losing his patience. Finral and Vanessa promptly quieted down, eyes wide. “We’re in the middle of something. You boneheads have a town square to fix. I’ll be back to get you at sundown and that square better be good as new. Got it?” His eyes were narrowed menacingly. I could hear the others gulp as they nodded solemnly, all signs of aggression gone._

_Julius chuckled and fixed his attention on me. “As Yami not-so-delicately put, I’ll also be back at sundown to fetch you.” I nodded, eager to get started. “There’s nothing wrong with having a good time, just remember there’s always a reaction to every action. The Sister is waiting for you at the orphanage, she’s glad to have the extra help. It’s right in front of the square.”_

_As always, he seemed to read the deeper emotions hiding away. “R-right.” I mumbled, looking away._

_Yami, taking note of the conversation, took it as his chance to interrupt. He wrapped his arm around Julius and tugged him roughly over to a portal Finral summoned up. “Come on, let’s leave them to it and get a drink! I have a score to settle with you. You owe me a drink, lots of them!”_

_“Huh? What for?”_

_“For being a badass squad-Captain, that’s what. I say that’s deserving of at least nine, no ten drinks!”_

_Julius could do nothing but wave at me as he allowed Yami to drag him away. I covered my laugh behind my hand and turned to face my partners-in-crime. “Hi Vanessa, hi Finral.” I waved politely as if we hadn’t wrecked a quarter of the town together._

* * *

However, what Vanessa and Finral were initially unaware of, was that it was true, the two of them were meant to fix up the utterly ruined plaza without magic over the span of a week but I was assigned a very different task.

One that had the both of them spitting in envy. 

I reach the old church and make sure my appearance is presentable. The sister didn’t tolerate any unsightliness or rough appearances. As she had put it, I was helping out the orphanage and it wouldn’t do to have me be mistaken for an orphan. 

I knock on the front door politely, trying to suppress my snicker. My joke at ‘being in this together’ fell flat because in their eyes we weren't. While the two of them were stuck doing manual labor with no magic, I was helping Sister Theresa run the Nairn orphanage. 

Which, also unbeknownst to them, was _extremely_ difficult. The sister ran a tight ship and was not one for mistakes, no matter how much of a novice I was. From the moment I was dropped off at the doorstep, she had put me to work. Sweeping, repairing, sewing, cleaning, cooking, yard duty, and anything else under the sun, keeping me busy the eight hours she had me.

It wasn’t hard to say I was well out of my depth. 

At the end of the day, I would be so tired that I had no thoughts in my head except a shower and sleep. Most days, my dinner would be taken in my room, alone. I would have felt guilty secluding myself in such a way if only Julius wasn’t kept just as busy. Marx was intent on having the Wizard King catch up and then some, better ahead than behind, right? 

Aiding the orphanage was fulfilling but I had some difficulties interacting with the children. Why anyone thought this was the job for me was beyond my understanding. 

However, it was the end of the week, my last day aiding. The door creaked open and I was faced with the sister, a stern frown in place. “You’re late.” 

I let out a breath. It was _only_ two minutes. “I’m very sorry about that, sister. I had a bit of a late start this morning.”

Sister Theresa stared at me before ‘hmphing’ and stepping aside to allow me in. “That Julius Novachrono, for a time mage he certainly seems to enjoy taking yours up.” She said pointedly. I walk past her with no reaction except for the reddening of my ears.

This was also a normal occurrence now. I quickly learned that despite her harsh exterior, Sister Theresa had a heart of gold, caring for each child as if they were her own, and they were in a way. She loved them and they loved her back just as much, if not more. It was noble how she dedicated her life to these children.

As noble as those intentions were, she was _not_ above teasing, as I was quick to find out. The entire week was filled with comments over my relationship with the Wizard King. How did she even know? I asked myself the same thing. 

Mortified as I was, it was becoming easier to ignore her little snipes. “How are the children today?” I ask politely, refusing to acknowledge her jab. To my surprise, the sister smiled with something akin to pride?

“Same as they were yesterday. They’ll be waking up soon, so breakfast is in order.” I nodded and excused myself to the kitchens. By now, I already knew the schedule.

The heavy door to the kitchens squealed loudly on its hinges. I carefully undid the ribbon cinching my cloak and hung it on the coat rack that hung on the wall. I gave it a second, thoughtful look.

The church was old and there were lots of children here, it didn’t make for an easy job but I didn’t mind, my heart went out to the kids here. I felt as if I was contributing in a way, helping out the kingdom in a different sense. It was easy to forget the real reason I was here. 

I tied an apron around my waist and pushed my sleeves up. Today’s ingredients for breakfast were lined on the counter, waiting for me. Along with a recipe to follow. The sister quickly learned that although I was to help out here, I hadn’t the foggiest idea how to make a meal or clean or fix anything. 

The first day was marked with tears from both the sister and I. Though hers were of the frustrated variety. After the third dropped plate, she looked ready to murder me and I was ready to die. 

But I enjoyed the tasks. It was surprisingly domestic. I had never thought that there were other ways to serve your kingdom that _didn’t_ include murdering a whole person. The sense of fulfillment I found here made me a little reluctant to stop aiding, even as my week of ‘community service’ was coming to an end. 

I stirred the giant pot, making sure none of the porridge stuck to it. Sure, my tasks didn’t have me interacting with the children often, the times I did, I found extremely rewarding. Perhaps I saw myself in the children but I liked making conversation with them. Children, for all people put them off, were incredibly intuitive. 

They were all very friendly and sweet and it was incredibly heartbreaking to know so many children were misplaced or without families. 

My tongue poked out of the corner of my mouth as I carefully scooped out enough porridge for forty-five hungry mouths. I wasn’t sure if it was the case for all the other towns but Nairn had a surprisingly large population of children in general, not just in the orphanage. In my errands for the church, it wasn’t out of the ordinary to have kids run up and ask me to play with them. 

Balancing the bowls on the trays took several trips to the dining area and back. As the last bowl was set on the long table, the doors to the room opened a rush of hungry, half-asleep orphans poured in, murmuring greeting and thank yous in a still drowsy manner. 

“Make sure to thank her, she did prepare your breakfast.” Sister Theresa addressed the children. The sleepy smiles sent my way was like a shot to the heart, it was so incredibly endearing.

Who knew kids could be so _cute_? 

The chatter was low but excited as the kids slowly awoke. Plans on how to spend the day were made amongst the groups. I stood near the back, pressed against the wall, a tray clutched in my arms, and a faint smile in place as I observed the interactions. 

“Will you be having breakfast as well?” I shook my head, blinking. When had she crept up on me? Her footsteps were silent. 

“Sister?”

“You were late today. I doubt you had time to eat. Would you like to sit?” There was a kind smile on the old lady’s, revealing her true, soft nature she hid away. 

I was about to deny the offer but the growling of my stomach dashed that thought. She eyed me pointedly and I flushed. “I _could_ eat.” The smell of the food clenched my stomach, it sure smelled appetizingly. 

“Then what are you standing around for? Come.” I followed the sister as she took a seat at the head of the table, patting the spot next to her. I sat down gingerly, taking the bowl she offered me. “Here.” She pressed an apple into my hands. “Eat some fruit girl, you’re barely a wisp.”

“Thank you.” I smiled widely. She was sweet. I happily scooped a large spoonful of the porridge into my mouth and immediately frowned. This was not... _good._ I swallowed and sighed. The apple it was. 

“Something wrong, dear?” Sister Theresa asked me, a sly smirk firmly in place as she sipped from her cup. 

I cleared my throat, taking a sip of tea. “It’s a little bland.” _I don’t get it._ I followed that recipe to the letter.

“Ah yes, about that. Since it’s your last day, I should inform you that you, sweet child, have absolutely no talent in the kitchen.” My jaw dropped, _excuse me, what?_ The sister sat up primly and set her spoon down. “No one had the heart to tell you but it’s been like this all week. The children, bless them, are eternally grateful to have anything, and refused to complain since it was only a week, we were going to let it slide. However.” She paused and smiled wickedly. “The opportunity arose and well… you’re fortunate to be pretty.”

I scowled. “I thought you were a sister of the cloth. You’re supposed to be nice.” 

There was a gleam in her eye, one I didn’t like. “I only tease. Eat the fruit though, you’ll need your strength after I tell you what you're doing today.” 

That didn’t sound promising. “What am I doing today?”

“I’m glad you asked.” I felt a bit on edge, knowing her, it could be anything. On Wednesday, she had made me clean the attic. Which had no right being so big and so dusty. Needless to say, Julius had a nice, long laugh when I stepped out of the building, covered head to toe in dark soot. It took me a double shower to get it all out. “I wanted you to do something a little different. As a treat.”

“Hmm?”

“Of course you’ll be doing your usual tasks but after those are done, I want you to head to the bakery and pick up a cake for us.” _Come, again?_ “I’m going to be a little occupied this afternoon with some of the children who want to go out into town. Marie’s birthday is today and she wants to play and celebrate with her friends. I was hoping you might be able to pick up a cake for a little surprise birthday party” 

“Oh! Are you sure you want me to do it?” I would of course be delighted to do it, I had really yet to see Nairn’s full glory and a birthday party sounded like a really sweet sentiment. “Is there a specific name it's under or any extra instructions?” 

The sister shook her head. “Not really, the baker knows it's for Marie and for the orphanage. Make sure it’s strawberry flavored, the baker just had a son and keeps forgetting little details. Oh, and don’t let Marie see the cake, she doesn’t know about the party.” 

“Okay!” I smiled widely, easy enough to do. “I’d love to!” 

The smile I received in return only added to my happiness. “Good, you can head out as soon as you’re done. Don’t forget about the cleanup, just because it’s your last day here doesn’t mean you can get out of dish duty.” 

Always such a stickler for the rules.

She left me alone to finish and I quickly ate what was left of my breakfast, regardless of the taste. The dining hall cleared out soon enough and I went to work, collecting dishes and plunging them into the warm soapy water in the kitchen sink. 

The rhythmic scrubbing of the plates nearly lulled me into a sort of daze, where my thoughts wandered on their own. The past week had been somewhat a blur too, time seemed to flow much faster now, a stark contrast to the lengthy past years. Rinsing a chipped mug, I came to the sudden realization that I hardly had any troubling thoughts since starting here. 

My eyes widened, not too long ago, my thoughts had been plagued by the winter lady and how Diamond was relentless and my impending death. Was this the effect of being kept busy? I simply seemed to have no time to let such thoughts creep in. But despite that, I had never felt warmer, more tolerated. 

Even though we had gotten into trouble, Julius had been more than understanding and seemed to even find humor in my actions. There was the question of where we disappeared between three and five in the morning as no one seemed to really know what happened between those hours. Despite that, he had been acting differently. 

And that wasn’t all; Vanessa and Finral kept in touch, and we had lunch together all week. Mimosa arranged some practice for later in the week. I was looking forward to something for the first time. For some reason I was feeling guilty. Guilty for not worrying. 

I rinsed the cup I was washing and reached for another plate only to be met with warm water. Looking into the sink revealed that I had already gone through all of the morning's plates, my thoughts having distracted me from the amount left. 

_Well if that’s all, might as well be on my way._ I lifted the apron off, grateful for it. It kept my dress clean. Today’s was a lovely, pale pink thing--a gift-- and I very much wanted to keep it nice. With that in mind, I lifted my cloak from the hanger, pausing only to look at the clover emblem on it --I had taken to staring at it adoringly in my spare time-- before slipping it on and leaving the church. 

Stepping outside, I was taken back by the wonderful weather. Perfect for a birthday. I looked around, taking in the sleepy town. The villagers, bless their hearts, had not held anything against us for the brawl and subsequent damage to the town, only requesting repairs be made. They remained friendly to us, greeting me or offering smiles when encountered. 

Word of me helping out the church had somehow endeared me to the village, at least to the point where they knew who I was and occasionally waved at me. I liked Nairn and it’s simple infrastructure. In fact, it was the ideal type of place, the quiet and peace that I longed for. 

Finral and Vanessa had done a rather good job, it was difficult to see where they had damaged and patched up. _They must be used to this._ I snickered internally. _Where are Finral and Vanessa?_ I had come into the square but they were nowhere to be seen. 

The fountain was finished at least. 

I didn’t give it too much thought--Vanessa was prone to skiving off and convincing Finral to join. 

The bakery wasn’t too far and it was made all the easier to find by the mouthwatering smell coming from it. I had developed quite the sweet tooth since coming to Clover, or rather I had suppressed that fact about me until now, running wild with the possibilities. As I opened the door to the building, the bell attached rang sweetly, announcing my arrival.

A weathered-looking man poked his head out of the corner, smiling at my entrance. “Welcome in, what can I do for you?” 

“Hello, I’m here to pick up a cake for the church.” 

A loom of recognition passed on him. “Ah yes, for little Marie’s birthday, correct?” I nodded eagerly. “Perfect! I am almost done, just putting the finishing touches on it, it should be no more than fifteen minutes, you are welcome to wait.” 

I looked out the window, a bright flash catching my eye. “That’s fine, is it fine if I come right back?” 

“Of course. See you in fifteen minutes.” I waved and stepped out, walking towards the bright store that had caught my eye, clutching my little coin purse. 

Unlike the bakery, there was no sound to announce my arrival but I didn’t mind, taking in the cuteness of the toy store. Walls and walls were packed to the brim with stuffed animals of all shapes and colors, cabinets filled with the latest toys, and there were even racks on racks of cute clothing for all ages. 

It was a lot to take in. 

There seemed to be one lone employee but he was occupied with another customer. _He looks sort of familiar… No, I don’t think I know him after all… Besides, his back is towards me...Still, I've seen that hair before._ Once I saw the toys loaded in his cart, I shook my head, no I don't know anyone with a toy obsession. 

I gave myself a few more moments to be overwhelmed before grabbing what I had originally come in for. Luckily, my assumption was wrong and there was one other employee, a homely older lady with a warm smile. “Find everything okay dearey?”

I nodded. “Yes, thank you.” I glanced back towards the back-- the man was yelling rather excitedly.

The old lady smiled wider and scanned my purchase. “Excellent, oh and don’t mind our customer, he comes in once a year and gets rather excited.” I don’t question her and hand over the last few yuls I had left from that day in the market. I looked into my empty purse and frown, I needed to find a way to make money soon. “Would you like this to be wrapped?”

It takes me a split second. “Yes, please.”

I leave the shop with a cheery wave and head back across the street into the bakery. To my joy, the baker is putting the cake into a box when I come in. He’s talking to his assistant and I can make out bits of the conversation. 

“You’ve been gone all week so you haven’t heard!”

“Heard what?”

“Last week, some _idiot_ broke into the shop and stole one of my cakes!” A beautiful thing too, all fruit and whipped frosting.” I choked a bit on my saliva. “Can you imagine! In the middle of the night, poof! Gone!” 

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, well, whoever they were, they left some money but still! What was the rush? Couldn't they wait until opening hours? Oh!” He had seen me. “Here you are, miss, don’t mind my bit of gossip, here’s your cake.” He handed me the box. “An’ tell the sister not to worry about the pay, the church’s money is no good here.” 

“Thank you!” I smile sweetly and leave abruptly, not wanting to be there a moment longer. _You’ve got to be killing me, Finral!_

I’m not too far from the church when I see the sister standing under a tree, watching a handful of children play. Marie is there with a group of redheaded children, happily laughing and skipping rope. Everyone looked so cheerful and at ease. This really was the perfect town.

I sighed wistfully, they looked so _free._

I blink, watching a few new arrivals approaching the group. My eyes squinted, not sure I was seeing things right. “Asta?” I called out. 

To much of my shock, it was. He perked up when he heard his name and looked around before he spotted me. “Hey!” He waved wildly, drawing the attention from everyone around. “What are you doing way over here?” 

He ran up to where I stood, leaving behind the girl he was with. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Noelle. “Oh, I’m picking something up for the church. Vanessa and Finral are supposed to be here too but I don’t see them.” I shrugged, trying to hide the box from Marie accidentally spotting it. 

“Really? They were at headquarters around lunch time to collect our pay.” _I can’t believe those two! We were supposed to have lunch and they just ditch me?_ It’s hard to stay angry around so much positive energy and Asta was practically exuding it. “I guess they finished early. It’s our day off and I had Magna take me to Nairn. I promised Rebecca I’d visit her and her siblings.” He explained, happy to share his plans with anyone. 

I looked over his shoulder. “Is that her?” She was glaring daggers at me for some reason and a shiver went down my spine. “Um, is she your girlfriend or something?” 

“Haha.” Asta laughed, oblivious to my question. “Finral introduced us at a mixer and we became friends!” 

I nodded sagely. “Oh! Okay.” I was quiet for a brief moment. “What’s a mixer?” 

He shrugged and I didn’t feel so clueless. “You know, I don’t really know. Finral took me to my first one but I think it’s where you go to meet friends. And there’s food too! But I think the guys are supposed to pay, cause that’s what we did.”

I nod again, not really understanding the concept. “Sounds like fun. Maybe I’ll go to one some time.”

“Yeah! I’ll have Finral take us next time, okay?” I laugh, agreeing with him. 

“Well, I gotta get going, I need to drop this off.” I gesture to the box. Asta nods.

“I’ll keep Marie distracted. It was nice talking to you!” He waved and ran back to where the kids were. I watched as he got there and headed inside, ignoring Rebecca’s questioning glare. _Boy, Noelle’s not gonna be happy about that._ Lotus’s novellas paled in comparison to the dynamics happening here. 

I head inside and set the cake down in the kitchen, but not before dropping my little present on the back table. I stared at the little package, almost hesitating before shrugging and continuing in the daily tasks that I had to do. I was much faster at them now than I was in the beginning of the week, but I was still rather slow. The chores took me the better part of the afternoon and the later it got, the more my feeling of dread thickened.

It seemed I was having a hard time coming to terms with the end of my service at the church. I heard the chatter of the children coming in, so it meant that it was getting on in the day, only an hour or so left. 

Eventually, the sister came into the kitchen while I was sweeping. “What are you doing? Grab the cake and wait by the door, Marie’s coming in!” I immediately drop the broom, the wood hitting the floor sharply. 

I do as I’m told and wait patiently. My eyebrows scrunch when I hear yells and screaming coming from the outside. One look at the kid inside showed they agreed with me. The shouting continued on for a while. _What the hell is going on outside_? And just when I was about to say ‘screw it’ and check it out, the front doors opened and we all stayed silent. 

“You ignore that good-for-nothing, criminal brother of yours. He’s a brute and brutes always resort to violence.” Whoever the sister was talking so vehemently against, I prayed for their safety and salvation. 

The girl paid her no mind. “Why’s it all dark?” Marie’s sweet voice echoes. The sister turns the light on and we all join in in jumping out. 

“Surprise!”

“Happy Birthday, Marie!” The look on the girl’s face was as joyous and happy as I’d ever seen. Marie lit up, her eyes scanning the room and her smile widening at the sight of all her friends. Birthday wishes were passed around and at the nod of the sister’s head, I headed over to the main table, cake in hands. 

“This cake is for me?” Marie asked, eyes wide. 

I couldn’t blame her, the baker had really outdone himself. The cake was wonderful. I had a little bias though, my growing sweet tooth for desserts made me think they were all beautiful. Which they were.

After the initial cheer and surprise, it all settles a bit as the children take their seats. Marie blows her candles out and cuts the cake. Sister Theresa helps pass plates around and I hand out the utensils. _I’m kind of going to miss this._ It’s a fleeting thought and I try to pay it no mind as I sit down on the wooden bench.

“Something on your mind?” I look up from the cheering kids to see the sister take a seat next to me. I shake my head, not wanting to unload on her. “Look, how is anyone supposed to help if you don’t say what’s wrong?” I open my mouth to argue but she holds a hand up. “Before you say anything about being a burden, keep in mind the Wizard King has already told me about your situation.”

Her glare is hard and I resist the urge to shrink back. But when her gaze softens. “Child, you’ve had an exceedingly difficult life, one no young girl should have to face all alone. But you are no longer alone, you made it here, the hard part is over. You have friends and people who care. So why don’t you tell an old lady what’s bothering you?”

My lower lip wobbles and I take a deep breath. _I will not cry. I will not cry. Please don’t cry-- goddamn it._ “S-sorry.” I stutter, wiping my suddenly wet face. “I’m not sure why I’m crying. “

Sister Theresa pats my back. “It’s alright, take your time. There’s no rush.” 

It takes me a bit to gather myself but she doesn't complain, instead waiting patiently for me to compose myself. I tried again. “Did you always know you were going to be a nun?”

She hums. “Ah, so it’s _that_ kind of question. You’re feeling lost in the world, without purpose, is that right?” I nod eagerly, she understood exactly. “Well to answer your question, I didn’t. I was almost as opposite as you could get. I was a Magic Knight.”

If she expected shock, she didn’t let on. I wasn’t surprised at that; I had felt her mana levels the moment I knocked on the door. She hadn’t even opened it when I felt it from the other sides. When the high mana levels turned out to be the nun that ran the church, well, I figured there was a story there. 

However, I felt a bit at a loss. 

_Did it always lead back to that? The Magic Knights? Is that the only option for me?_ She read the look on my face clearly. “However, it wasn’t for me. I realized I wanted to help the weak, the innocent. I wanted to do more than fight, I wanted to help. So I joined the church.” 

“Magic Knight or nun?” I asked. “It’s amazing you’ve done all that but I could never do the same. I’m not nearly strong enough. I have no place in the world, I thought it would be easier here but I was wrong. I haven’t heard a word from the Diamond Kingdom in a week and it’s driving me crazy.” 

I had been suppressing these thoughts, keeping them from myself all week, throwing myself in my assigned task, like a good little soldier. “ I don’t know whether I can let my guard down or not, or if ever. How can I possibly make my life if I’m constantly looking over my shoulder?”

My outburst left an awkward pause. The sister eyed me before letting out a low whistle. “The Diamond Kingdom sure did a number on you.”

I flushed and averted my eyes. “Is it that obvious?” 

She nods, taking a sip of her tea. “I’ve seen the same loss of direction in some of the children.” I look up at her and she continues. “You know, you're not the only foreigner here. A handful of the children are from the other countries.”

It had never occurred to me that there could be children from places other than Clover. I hadn't even noticed, all the children got along like siblings here and were all treated equally as siblings were. “Really?” 

“Yes. There’s three from the Spade Kingdom, four from the Heart Kingdom, and I have one Diamond. It doesn’t matter though, they’re all my little three-leafed sprouts.” There’s so much love in her voice. No one could argue that she didn’t love them all. 

I repeated one part to her. “You only have one from Diamond?” 

The sister nods again, gesturing in the direction of a quiet, mousy boy. “Pim is the only child I’m currently caring for from the Diamond Kingdom. It’s rare to have children from there in Clover. It’s odd really, I've only had about three children in my care this entire time.” 

_Not really._ I thought bitterly. _Diamond likes to keep theirs._ “Hmm.” I hum quietly, not sure what else to say on the subject. 

It’s almost easy to slip back into my daydream but the sister pats my back gently and I look up at her. “I know you’re done with your obligatory week here, but if you’d like, you can help here at the church once a week.” My eyes are wide. “I’d love to have the help and well, it would be a pain to train some new girl the ropes. The children like you as well.”

“Seriously?” 

“Mhmm. I’ll put you to work. Now--” She’s looking at the clock on the wall. “Ah, it’s getting late. You should be heading out. I’m sure our Julius is out there, waiting for you.

The shift in the mood is instant, as she had planned. I flush from the tips of my ears to my chest. She laughs when I sit up, my gloom gone. “Here, take a few slices.” She cuts me two slices and puts them on a plate, handing it to me. “Believe it or not, our Wizard King is childlike in more ways than one, his sweet tooth is of a four-year old’s.” 

I laugh, my embarrassment gone. “Oh, I believe it. You know on my first day here, he had cake for breakfast?”

Sister Theresa shakes her head. “That boy, he never changes.” She side-eyes my questioning look. “Yes _boy_ , I’ve known that Julius for a long time and I have more stories about him than I can count on my fingers. Hmph.” She crosses her shoulders. “And _no,_ now is _not_ the time. I’ll tell you one next time. Now go-- it’s rude to keep people waiting.”

I wave my goodbyes to the children, promising to come back next week. I close the door behind me and walk out with the cake slices. I sigh, it was _such_ a nice day and not in weather terms. Even if I had to wake up at the crack of dawn--it was worth it.

And now, it was the best part of the day. It wasn’t that I was going home, which was nice in itself, but Julius would be waiting for me. All week, he had dropped me off and been waiting for me to take me back to the Capital.

_Not only that,_ I thought to myself as I crossed the town square. I took a moment to look around, admiring the handiwork Finral and Vanessa had done. That Yami certainly called it on this occasion, the punishment he set out was perfect. Satisfied with the view, I continued on, a blush gradually increasing as I got closer to the tree where Julius was sure to be standing on. 

On my side at least, the relationship was getting _blurred_. We had gotten closer, that was hard to deny. I hadn’t tried to kiss his cheek again but that didn’t matter. By the way Julius was getting a little more flirty and generous with his compliments, it was as if he reciprocated the feeling. It wasn’t unusual for him to find reasons to step closer to me or find excuses to touch me. 

But that was in my head right?

Pushing the thought back as I finally catch sight of the Wizard King. Reactively, I grin as soon as he notices my presence, his eyes brightening at the sight of me. He opens his mouth to greet me, hand in air but I rush over. I hold out the slice of cake to Julius, feeling bashful as he stares at it. “What’s this?” He questions, looking at the pink cake with it’s little raspberry on it. 

His eyes meet mine and I try my very best to not look away until I answer the question. It should be simple enough but I feel shy. 

“It was one of the children’s birthdays and we had cake. I thought you might like a slice... so I brought you one.” I finally said and toed the ground, kicking a pebble across the courtyard. It’s then that I notice we’re not in Nairn any longer. In fact, we’re standing near the castle. I hadn’t even noticed the change. 

I felt a little silly but it was for naught because I felt Julius’s hand brush against mine as he took the plate from me. “Thank you, it looks delicious.” My breath hitched as our eyes met. “It’ll be perfect for dessert.” He tilted his head to the side, examining me. Cake in one hand, he intertwined our little finger together before facing forward. “We should get to dinner.” 

I walked behind him, my heart beating rapidly. “I wonder what’s for dinner.” It was something to fill the silence but I was genuinely curious as well. After firmly telling Myrna that I didn’t need more than one entree, I liked to guess what dish would be given to me. So far, I was on a losing streak, but it was fun. 

After my long day, I hoped she went for something warm and filling, comforting too. 

Julius hummed lowly. “About that, we’re not having dinner in the castle.” I suddenly perked up, all signs of tiredness gone. Julius had said _we’re,_ as in plural. For most of the week he had dropped me off then left, heading to his duties, and doing whatever Wizard Kings do. He had been kept busy so dinner together was similar to a treat.

I noticed for the first time, that we were _not_ heading towards the castle. In my lull, he could have led me anywhere, even to my death if he wanted, and I wouldn’t have noticed or cared. 

“Oh?” I looked at him as he came to a stop. We were in front of the gardens, the flowers had bloomed more from the last time I had been there. “What are we doing here?” I asked sweetly, trying to supress my blush. 

Julius flashed me a heart-wrenching smile and pointed a little ahead. “I thought a nice change in scenery was needed. We’ve both had quite the week and kept missing each other. This way, we could spend some time together.” 

I could faint, truly. The sheer amount of care put into this… When did he find the time? There was a blanket on the ground, in the middle of some spring wildflowers, and there was a meal set up on the blanket, two of everything arranged neatly. “Is…is this for me?”

I heard him chuckle next to me as he led me to the layout. “Who else? The king?” 

My laugh came from the bottom of my belly, adding humor to the already sweet atmosphere. I sat down, watching the Wizard King settle across from me, setting the slice of cake down with him. “This is really, really nice.” I whisper, eyeing all the food. It had all the foods I was fond of from Clover. “These are my favorites.” I pointed at a few pastries.

“I know.” Julius admitted, sounding a tad shy. “I asked Meredith what you liked and she mentioned you requesting these twice.” That was oddly touching. My cheeks had to be on fire, the lovely sunset did nothing to hide them. “Well, we should start eating if we want to be done before the sun sets.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t prepare for darkness.” 

He looks a little worried but my snort of amusement assuages said worry. “Thank you. Truly. This is such a thoughtful gesture.” His eyes are filled with something more and he looks like he wants to say something but thinks better of it and starts to fill his plate instead. 

We eat in silence and I chew thoughtfully before I turn to Julius. He’s drinking out of his cup and raises an eyebrow at my stare. I wait for him to finish before speaking. “Is it okay to get your opinion on something? 

“Of course, dear.” 

There goes my soul. I clear my throat and the mood shifts to a more serious one. He notices this and sits up a bit. “Last week, I was looking through my grimoire since it had been a while…”

At the sound of magic he perks up. The silver in his eyes are replaced by those funny stars Julius gets when magic is involved. The signs of a true magic geek. “Oh?” And whenever my grimoire or magic is the topic, he gets much more invested. 

Normally, I would have been charmed by his interest but I realize this has been weighing on me. As much as I’d like to keep the sweet vibe, this needed to be mentioned. “Well I came across a spell. One I’d never seen before. It was in the middle of my grimoire but it wasn’t like the others.” I was surprised to see the lack of reaction on Julius’s face. There was something grim about his expression but I kept going, eyeing him with concern. “The spell was blotched out, as if ink had been spilt over it but it’s part of my grimoire.”

“You’ve never seen it before?” I shook my head, materializing my grimoire. It appeared next to me and I willed it solid, having it lazily float next to me. At the sight of it, Julius came closer, that wonder back in his eyes. He had only seen it that one time and it was rare enough for anyone else to see it. 

I flipped to the spell in question and pointed at the splotchy mess. “See?” I flipped to another page to show him. “It doesn’t match besides the color, all my spells are flowery and pretty, this is ugly and came out of nowhere. I can’t read it and my magic doesn’t instinctively do anything.”

There was a pensive look on Julius’s normally warm face. “It could be a blocked spell. May I?” He pointed at my grimoire and though I knew what he was asking, I hesitated. My feelings for him aside, I was apprehensive about having him touch my grimoire. I wanted to trust him but it was scary and I was protective.

Still, I took a deep breath and held it out to him, making sure I moved closer so as to see what he was up to.

He didn’t immediately touch it, instead leaning in to get a better look, scanning the page. His lips were moving but I couldn’t hear what he was mumbling under his breath. Slowly, his finger came out to lightly run over the spell. “Hmm.” He tapped his chin before meeting my eyes. 

“What is it?” I whispered, leaning in a bit closer, concern written on my face. 

His eyes shifted downwards to the page before meeting mine again. “I have no idea. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Oh. I sat back on the blanket. “Has it caused you any limitations or pain?” 

Well if he didn’t know, the _Wizard King,_ how would I? “No. Nothing like that. I was just a little worried.”

“Keep an eye on it and let me know if it acts strangely.” That short sentence helped put me at ease, I didn’t feel as if I was overexaggerating the situation. “Anything else you’d like to ask? I know it’s been a while since we’ve had time to chat.” Julius offered me the slice of cake and I sat up, a sudden, dreadful feeling creeping over me.

He noticed the darkening of my mood instantly but I cleared my throat before Julius could ask. “Actually, there is something I’ve been needing to speak to you about. I just haven’t found the proper moment and since we’re alone, I thought…” 

Julius lays his hand over mine and I swear even the wind is still. “Anything you have to say, you can. So please, don’t be afraid to speak.”

I nod, feeling much more reassured. “It’s about… William Vangeance…” 

I feel him sit straight up. “What about him?” The way Julius is speaking is carefully, almost warningly. I gulp but I need to tell him, he needs to know about the mana, he needs to know if this William is trustworthy. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, there's a ton of reasons and excuses that seemed realistic and reasonable at the time and I could list them off but why? Right now, we're all going through a difficult time and none of that stuff matters so here's the chapter that gave me SUCH A HEADACHE and a serious case of writer's block. I promise I will never make anyone wait that long for a chapter again. Also, think of the last chapter as the end of part one or arc one. There's like three and this is the moment where things gets fast in the terms of pace and development of Reader as we get the show on the road and the plot really kicks in. It only took like 100k right lol? 
> 
> With that out of the way, I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to all who read, commented, left a kudos, etc. You guys really warmed my heart and that kept me from abandoning it in the first place. words cannot explain how happy it made me to see this blow up like it did. Keep safe my guys and I love you all.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so hear me out. This is a passion project and I'm genuinely so excited to share this with anyone who will bother to read it. I know it's long, believe me, I wrote it. I spent so many sleepless nights typing, plotting, brainstorming. The nights I did sleep, I dreamt of this! I am shaking as I type this, The first chapter took me a month to get right and I really hope you all enjoy it even if you don't ship this or anything. I have a few chapters already typed out so hopefully It'll be done soon. Also my title sucks, I know. It was labeled Julius before, but I thought it was too on the nose.
> 
> If you got to the end of this, thank you for reading my trash. I appreciate you.


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